A SURGE in mutton prices during November has painted a rosy picture for the entire sheep industry.
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High prices for wool, prime lambs and older sheep have put the industry in arguably the best position in history.
Prices are at historical levels and there is high demand from restockers who are securing older sheep as well as young ewes.
- Garry Armstrong
Marrar producer Garry Armstrong of “Armdale Park”, took time out from harvest to explain to The Rural that the aligning of markets was good news for the entire sector.
The older sheep benefited from supply and demand and prices strengthened according to Meat and Livestock Australia figures.
“Prices are at historical levels and there is high demand from restockers who are securing older sheep as well as young ewes,” he said.
“I haven’t seen it like this before,” he said.
And for stud producers in the seedstock industry he said there was a higher degree of confidence in purchasing genetics.
He said it was good to see producers rewarded for their efforts.
Market data from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) shows the mutton indicator for November has rallied 25 per cent to sit at a high of 439c/kg cwt.
In fact, the the indicator is at an all-time high for November, outstripping last year’s record by 13 per cent.
Victoria and NSW are holding up the mutton indicator, with state indicators at 470c/kg and 447c/kg carcase weight respectively.
South Australia and Western Australian mutton indicators are lagging behind, likely due to the absence of the strong restocking demand seen on the east coast.
South Australia was sitting on 324c/kg, while Western Australia was at 353c/kg carcase weight.