Welsh lamb producers less dependent on export sales this year

WELSH lightweight lamb producers will be less dependent on export sales this year following successful 2002 marketing campaigns by major retailers.

At the Royal Welsh show, Tesco was attempting to recruit 11,000 extra producers to supply lambs through St Merryn Meats at Methyr Tydfil to meet anticipated demand of 8000 carcasses/week.

Sainsbury, which increased Welsh Mountain lamb sales by 20% last year through 150 stores, used the event to launch their 2003 sales campaign.

Company meat buyer Emma Metcalfe-King said sales of lightweight Welsh lambs were worth almost £1m in 2002.

She forecast that the company's total sales of lamb produced in Wales would rise by 4% this year.

Somerfield and the Welsh Meat Company said they expected to build on the success of sales of Celtic Lamb introduced into stores last November.