LAMB | Farmgate lamb prices continue to feel heat

Average lamb weights are now 1kg lower than this time last year in the North Island. With the store lamb markets dropping back sharply farmers are now killing down to even lower weights to get stock off the farm. Killing delays are still common for lambs and the number of ewes being killed has reduced again making space tighter for them.

Store lamb market takes a big hit
A big drop in demand for store lambs and an increase in numbers hitting the market have hit store lamb prices hard in both Islands recently. South Island buyers have been significantly less active up in the north and drought conditions through most other areas means vendor mentality has shifted quickly. The real focus now is finding buyers rather than what price you can get. North Island store lambs had been trading in the paddock at between $1.50-$1.60/kg but prices quickly dropped by at least 20c/kg last week and most lambs traded in the paddock at between $1.25-$1.35/kg depending on sex and weight. But demand as these price levels is by no means solid. South Island store lamb prices are 30-40c/kg higher than in the north which has seen some renewed interest from South Island buyers.