Spring lamb for sale this weekend

THE first of the season’s spring lamb will be available in the supermarkets and butcher shops this Easter weekend, according to the IFA.

IFA Sheep Committee chairman Henry Burns said the domestic lamb market is very important to the sheep sector. Last year, Irish consumers purchased 21,000 tonnes of lamb or 31% of total production. Per capita consumption of sheep meat is 5kg.

The home market was very strong again in 2007 with Taylor Nelson Sofres’ retail figures showing expenditure up 11% to €127 million.