Positive new season lamb prices
New season lamb prices have started the season approximately 7 to 8% higher than this time last year, the latest analysis from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has revealed.
Stuart Ashworth, head of economic services, QMS.
Stuart Ashworth, head of economics services with QMS, commented: “With the Muslim festival of Ramadan starting on the 6th June there may be some short term support for prices, which may repeat itself as the festival ends in one month’s time.”
Ashworth also observed that a cold spring has resulted in new season lambs being slightly slower to appear on the market than last year.
In England the volume of new season lambs reaching the market has only recently exceeded the volume of hoggs.
In Ireland new season lambs have exceeded old season for a few weeks, but in Scotland the volume switch over has not yet occurred.
In general though, hoggs have been in tighter supply with the weekly UK kill lower than last year throughout the first four months of the year. Carcase weights have also been lighter, reducing domestic supplies of prime sheepmeat.
However, ewe slaughterings have increased significantly. This has also been repeated in the Republic of Ireland.
The heavier supply of cull ewes is reflected in lower farmgate prices for this class of stock throughout 2016 to date.
“Scottish auction sales of hoggs in April and May have been lower than last year,” Ashworth said. “However, a subdued export market in the first quarter of the year meant that this reduced domestic supply did not support producer prices, which for much of the first quarter of the year ran lower than the previous year.”
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