NFU livestock board chairman Thomas Binns is reinforcing his message to retailers to support English and Welsh lamb producers or risk losing them, as New Zealand lamb imports continue to have a negative impact on home markets.

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Mr Binns met with the UK manager of Meat and Wool New Zealand John Mabb to express the anger felt by members over increased imports and the imbalance it has created in the UK market.

He said: “I left Mr Mabb in no doubt that UK farmers are furious over New Zealand exporters flooding UK retailers with lamb. It is a dangerous situation for farmers both here in the UK and in New Zealand as the low farm gate price in both parts of the world is unsustainable for producers.

“Farmers here in Britain are furious because the rise in New Zealand lamb in UK supermarkets during March left our domestic markets completely deflated.

“Retailers are clearly turning their backs on home-reared lamb in favour of cheaper imports. But what they fail to see is that unless they start working with UK farmers very soon they won’t have fresh, local lamb to sell to their customers.”

Note:
The NFU estimates supplies of New Zealand lamb were up ten per cent during March compared with the same time last year.

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