Imports of sheepmeat to the UK tallied 3,000t in August, which was 43% less than what was imported in the month previous.
This is according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which said that imports for August were also down 6% year on year.
According to analyst Freya Shuttleworth of the AHDB, this is not entirely unusual.
“Imports do seasonally begin to drop at this time of year as UK production is at its highest in late-summer and autumn,” she said.
“Furthermore, import levels were significantly higher year-on-year in June and July and above the five-year average (largely due to New Zealand volumes). August levels were closer to previous years.”
Shuttleworth attributes the decline to a change in market pattern from New Zealand and Australia.
“The decline has been driven by reduced volumes from New Zealand and Australia. Imports from New Zealand halved in August compared to July, down 2,200t to total 1,900t,” she said.
“Year-on-year imports from New Zealand were down 16% in August. Imports from Australia dropped 29% from July to 360t and are down year-on-year by 39%.
“Shipments from the EU however have increased in August, up 9% compared to July to 700t,” she added.
“This is down to a 12% increase in volumes from Ireland which totalled 670t in August. Year-on-year shipments from the EU are up 440t due to, again, increased volumes coming from Ireland.”
Exports
The AHDB said that exports of fresh/frozen lamb totalled 5,600t in August, which was a 3% (200t) decline from July and a 10% (600t) decline from this time last year.
According to Shuttleworth, this decline has been driven by reduced shipments to key EU nations.
“Shipped volumes to France stood at 2,600 in August, down 6% from July with Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands also recording a month-on-month decline,” she said.
“However, shipments to Germany and Italy increased in August. Germany received 1,300t of UK fresh/frozen lamb, up 13% from July.”
