Meat and Livestock Australia has looked at which saleyards are generating larger premiums for producers and Forbes' Central West Livestock Exchange is in the spotlight again - as the top spot for mutton.

Since September 2025, market information analyst Alex Fry found that an average premium of 13 per cent over the Mutton Indicator or national aggregate was achieved in Forbes, while making up 13 per cent of the average weekly contribution in the same period.

Sales and prices peaked in the week of 14 September 2025, when mutton sold in Forbes achieved its most significant premium – 20 per cent - 146¢/kg carcase weight (cwt) higher than the national aggregate of 688¢/kg cwt.

Mutton also made up 20 per cent of the total contribution for that week.

Mr Fry's report explains that mutton in Forbes generally achieves strong results – averaging an eight per cent premium on the Mutton Indicator since the start of 2019 – the recent performance since September 2025 is a good indication of increased competition among processors and exporters in the area against a tightening supply.

Sam Mackay of Forbes Livestock Agency told MLA that Forbes saleyards are at a convenient location in relation to a number of buyers who are well represented.

Across the other sectors MLA analysed, Wagga Wagga has averaged three per cent above the national aggregate for Merino lambs since 2019.

Looking to cattle markets, restocker yearling steers sold in Roma has achieved an average result of six per cent over the national aggregate, indicated by the Restocker Yearling Steer Indicator, since 2019.

Roma typically forms a significant component of the national yarding, averaging 29 per cent of the total contribution across that timeframe.