Development strategy for sheep meat recommends action across industry

A DEVELOPMENT strategy for the sheepmeat sector, launched in Dublin yesterday, sets out 37 recommendations across all segments of the industry — from production to marketing.

The strategy, sponsored by Meat Industry Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, was produced by a steering group headed by John Malone, former secretary general of the Department of Agriculture and Food.

Minister Mary Coughlan, who was presented with a copy of the strategy, said it represents a blueprint for the industry.

The minister will shortly set up a defined implementation structure in association with the main stakeholders, which will drive and monitor progress on the implementation of a report described as both ‘timely’ and ‘well focused’.

Chaired independently, the implementation group will be supported by a dedicated executive.

Cormac Healy, IMI, said the strategic initiatives outlined would help create a vibrant sheep production and processing business in the post-decoupling environment.

Derek Breen, Enterprise Ireland, said Europe is in deficit on sheepmeat production and lamb is perceived by the consumer as a premium quality product.

The report shows that Irish sheepmeat producers and processors can contribute toward filling this gap and, at the same time, to increasing the international competitiveness of the sheep sector.

Enterprise Ireland and the four major processing companies, Irish Country Meats, Kepak Group, Dawn Meats and Kildare Chilling, sponsored the initiative.

Calling on Minister Coughlan to put forward a €30 million package for developing the sheep sector, IFA President Padraig Walshe said the key recommendation in the report is that processors deliver a lamb price equivalent to the EU average back to producers.