It’s hard to believe that on this day a month ago prices being paid in saleyards for slaughter mutton were on its knees.
At the time a large area of of inland Australia stretching from The Gulf (northern Qld) to Bass Strait (southern Victorria) had been without rain for months, in fact, some places for years.
And then it rained… not everywhere and especially not in southern Australia and miraculously prices have lifted.
And checking the national indicators the lift has been spectacular. That is a month ago when it was still very dry prices were laboring in the 300-400c/kg zone and light sheep were being smashed, and now today, this week, the industry indicator has risen to average 434c/kg, with rises of $15-$20 a head week-on-week not being uncommon.
Funnily enough while good rains has fallen in northern Australia it is still as dry a chips in southern Australia, and this sadly is where almost all the sheep are farmed, where its dry and where it hasn’t rained.
Go figure!!!