Exports of Welsh Lamb see steady growth
The level of PGI Welsh Beef exports remained steady at £69.4m, taking the total exports of PGI Welsh Lamb and Beef to £224m, for 2013.
Laura Pickup, market development manager at HCC, said: "Not only are we continuing to perform strongly in our traditional overseas markets in mainland Europe, but we have also seen excellent growth in emerging territories, particularly Scandinavia.
"PGI Welsh Lamb in particular is now considered to be a global brand, known throughout the world for its quality and superior taste. It not only represents all that is best about our farming industry – it also flies the flag for Wales across the world."
Exports to Denmark, Norway and Sweden began in 2011 and have increased in that time to be worth more than £4.6m in 2013. Alan Morris, communications manager at HCC told GlobalMeatNews that the "dramatic increase" in Welsh lamb seen in Scandinavia was partly down to the fact the meat body now has a dedicated agent working in that region. "We will also be taking part in a reception at the British Embassy in Copenhagen later this year," said Morris.
Canada is another new market the HCC is exploring, which, while still on a small scale compared to other countries, offers significant opportunities, he explained.
Growth is also being seen in the Far East. "We have had a presence in Hong Kong for a number of years, but that market is increasing," continued Morris, adding that with the strengthening of the Eurozone, the HCC was hopeful exports would increase there in the near future too.
"We have quite an optimistic outlook for the rest of this year, and next year," he said.
France remains the biggest overseas customer for PGI Welsh Lamb, purchasing more than £71m, while Germany imports almost £13m.
Wales’ top three export countries for PGI Welsh Beef are the Netherlands (£14.3m), France (£8.8m) and Italy (£4.7m).
Exports account for approximately a third of PGI Welsh Lamb sales.
