Retail lamb sales shoot up
Retail lambs sales increased by 44% in the four weeks to 17 February, compared to the same period last year.
GB sales totalled 7,246t, with expenditure rising by 21%, to £56m, according to data from analyst Kantar. “Much of this increase has been driven by strong promotional activity compared to the previous year,” said a report by the Livestock and Meat Commission in Northern Ireland. “Strong sales of leg roasting joints in particular have increased volume sales, with all cuts recording an increase in volume.”
Sales had also been helped by a 16% drop in average retail prices, to £7.68/kg, which had encouraged consumers to buy lamb instead of beef or pork, it added. “Both beef and pork recorded declines in volume sales when comparing the two periods in question.”
The stronger demand had boosted farmgate prices, with quotes for NI hoggets to 22kg rising to 440p/kg last week. “However, prices are still behind the same week last year, when the average deadweight price was 432.6p/kg. A small number of new season lambs have started to appear across the marts and quotes from plants indicate 540p/kg up to 21kg.”