IFA Sheep Chairman Sean Dennehy said demand for lamb is strong from factories. He said prices are ranging from €6.40 to €6.50/kg for most sellers. Cull ewes are making €3.00 to €3.20/kg.
Sean Dennehy said the latest supermarket sales figures to the end of 2020 show continued strong lamb performance at the retail level, underpinning the trade where both the volume and value of lamb sales show significant growth. The latest 12-week period to end-December 2020 shows a volume increase of 14% and a price increase of 4% contributing to overall spend on lamb increasing by over 18% compared to 2019.
The IFA Sheep Chairman said numbers are projected to remain tight, and the strong retail performance will drive the trade.
Sean Dennehy said, “Reduced volumes of imported lamb in the EU market and the knock-on effect to prices show the value of the market for Irish and EU farmers when it is reliant on EU production to service it”.
“The Brexit agreement must be utilised to benefit Irish sheep farmers. A vital aspect of this is revisiting the requirements surrounding the movement of breeding sheep to Northern Ireland.”
“Strong support for sheep farmers in the new CAP is critical. In addition, the value of the current EU market for lamb must be maximised, and the new opportunities for breeding sheep to Northern Ireland availed of by the sector,” he concluded.
