THE local lamb market may have trended cheaper in the past week, but prices still sit well above those in other states of Australia.
The NSW Trade Lamb Indicator, calculated by Meat and Livestock Australia, was on 865 cents a kilogram (carcase weight) early this week.
That's 18c/kg cheaper than at the same time last week and about 100c/kg lower than last year's hefty prices.
However, indicator prices in Victoria, at 840c/kg, were well below NSW this week.
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Likewise, South Australian averages for trade lambs were on 834c/kg and in Queensland the trade lamb indicator was 801c/kg.
The trend was similar for export weight lambs: NSW on 846c/kg and out in front of Vic on 832c/kg, SA on 825c/kg and Qld on 765c/kg.
The NSW Restocker Lamb Indicator remains above other states at 1024c/kg.
AWN Langlands Hanlon director Geoff Rice, Parkes, said the strength behind the NSW market was still there even though average prices had softened this week.
"Much of the change from week to week is quality related rather than a fall in buyer demand," he said.
"We are not oversupplying the market and even when you look at the market reports from Victoria, the prices for the top quality pens are still up there."
ABARES released its quarterly forecasts this week and predicted average saleyard lamb prices to remain high in 2021-22, falling by two per cent to 736c/kg.
The average saleyard price in 2020-21 for lamb was revised up from the December forecast by ABARES, amid stronger competition between producers and processors at saleyards.
The saleyard price for lamb was forecast to average 751c/kg in 2020-21, down 7pc from 807c/kg in 2019-20.
BOOK NOW FOR ALPA AGENTS GATHERING
AGENTS are reminded the RSVP to attend the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association Young Auctioneers Competition dinner in Sydney on March 31 will close on Wednesday, March 17.
This year's dinner is at the Hyatt Regency Sydney (161 Sussex Street) and kicks off at 6.30pm.
The dinner is to celebrate all the finalists in the National and NSW ALPA Young Auctioneers Competition.
The competition is held the following day at the Sydney Royal Show.
- Contact ALPA, 02 9262 6633, for further details on how to RSVP.
ANGUS SPECIAL SALE NOT TO BE MISSED
RESTOCKERS in the market for top quality females should consider a trip to Maitland this weekend.
Bowe and Lidbury auctioneer Rodney McDonald said some of the best breeding females the Hunter Valley has to offer will go under the hammer during the 32nd Annual Feature Angus and Angus-cross Female Sale on Saturday at noon.
He said some vendors had selectively held onto locally bred cattle to sell specifically at this annual sale.
Some lines up for grabs are part of herd dispersals representing genuine quality breeders not normally available for sale.
There's plenty of variety in the yarding too with weaners and unjoined heifers, pregnancy-tested-in-calf and joined females plus cows with calves all featured.
"These breeding females represent some of the best around," Mr McDonald said.
- Contact Bowe and Lidbury, 02 4932 7066.
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