Meat companies are bracing themselves for a late flurry of
lambs as favourable growing conditions over most of the
country create a grass market.
Processing plants have been working short days because of the
slow flow of prime lambs, but Silver Fern Farms chief
executive Keith Cooper was confident the forecast number of
lambs available for slaughter would be reached.
He said the abundant grass was affecting the flow of lambs
from both store suppliers and finishers.
There had been a noticeable increase in kill numbers in the
past week, he said, and as autumn and winter drew near,
farmers would be keen to quit their stock.
"We do know stock will come over a period of time, but the
risk associated with that is the influx of stock will not be
in sync with markeplace requirements. It creates a
production-driven model."
There was also a risk supply would outstrip demand, putting
pressure on prices, he said.
Meat and Wool New Zealand estimates this year's total lamb
crop will be 1.7 million higher than last year at 23.5
million.
It estimates the number of lambs available for export markets
will be 1 million, or 4.4%, higher than last year.
The board's executive director, Rob Davison, said this number
was still 6% below the average export lamb availability in
the years from 2000 to 2008.
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