Silver Fern Farms is predicting that for the season to September 30, 2010 lamb will fetch between $4 and $6 a kilogram of meat between the low and high points of the season. Chief executive Keith Cooper said while it was difficult to make such forecasts, SFF saw a similar pattern in lamb prices in the market to those achieved in 2009 reports Business Day. Lamb prices reached $6 a kilogram in the current season, but wool, pelts and hides prices would be flat, reflective of the discretionary spend globally, Cooper said. "Drivers next year will be traceability and yield. That's what we will be putting our focus on as we look to extract more value from the market," he said. "It goes without saying that the currency is going to be the ultimate calculation in terms of your livestock values." SFF achieved lamb prices of around $89 a head in March 2009, up from $57 a head in March 2008. But it was helped by a kiwi in March of US53.34c versus US79.46c in March 2008. The kiwi closed yesterday at US63.79c. Cooper said that in terms of the beef market SFF had done a lot of work around market perceptions that beef was grass fed. "Part of that branding image is starting to deliver some good outcomes in many markets that we supply under that branded notion. "Meat we see as being reasonably solid next year in terms of mid- market values. Hides [which often go into the car industry] are still going to be a challenge for us." Bull prices were expected to range between $3 and $3.50 a kilogram, with steers likely to fetch $3.20 to $3.75 a kilogram. Venison was expected to range between $7 and $9 a kilogram.
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