Bord Bia launches major lamb drive

BORD BIA has launched its 2006 lamb promotional campaign on the Ireland market. There will also be extensive promotions in France, Belgium and other European Union markets.

New season Irish lamb was featured at an Irish meat promotion in Holland last weekend. It brought together leading Michelin star chefs in Holland to work with new-season Irish lamb at the event.

This involved a cutting demonstration to display the versatility of lamb and the suitability for high-class meal options.

Bord Bia said it is important lamb, being a premium meat at this time of year, should be used by top chefs in the EU.

Total throughput of sheep at Irish export plants to date this year has reached 713,000 head, a fall of 8% or 64,000 head, when compared to the same period in 2005.

Bord Bia said this decline is due to a return to more normal cull ewe disposals, following a strong rise due to decoupling in 2005.

To date ewe supplies are down by 28,000 head on the same period last year.

Hogget throughput is also lower, showing a fall of 36,000 head to date.

This is due to a smaller carryover from last year.

Irish sheepmeat exports amounted to 58,000 tonnes in 2005. This was up 3,500 tonnes, or 6%, on 2004.

France remained Ireland’s main export market at over 33,600, up 1,300 tonnes on 2004. Other principal markets were Britain at 14,000 tonnes, Germany and Sweden at 2,000 tonnes each followed by Belgium, which imported over 1,700 tonnes of Irish sheep meat.

IFA Sheep Committee chairman Henry Burns said the changeover to spring lamb this week should provide a much-needed price boost to sheep trade.

He said Bord Bia’s promotional campaign should drive domestic demand. In 2005, the retail market for lamb experienced significant growth. Total retail sales last year reached €110m with an average retail price of €8.41/kg.

Mr Burns said the export market for lamb is also strong with prices of €5.45/kg (195p/lb) in France and €5.50/kg (196p/lb) in Britain.

Based on these market returns the factories could easily afford to increase producer prices by at least another 42c/kg (15p/lb).

But factories are so far refusing to pass market returns to suppliers.

Top prices of €5.04/kg (180p/lb) have been paid but factories are trying to hold quotes down at €4.75/kg (170p/lb). Top prices for hoggets of €4.20/kg (150p/lb) have been paid for quality lots.