France is importing more sheep meat from Spain
France, the third largest producer of sheep meat in EU, behind UK and Spain, is looking to cover a gap in its own market by importing more sheep meat from Spain.
In the first four months of this year, France has reduced the volume of sheep meat imports to 454 tonnes (-1.6%) and also the supplier. Usually, France is looking for British lamb and sheep meat to cover its domestic demand but, this year, high prices during April has made the French look into the Spanish market.
In fact, France has imported in April 4,400 tonnes of Spanish lamb but, at the same time, has increased its own exports of fresh/frozen sheep meat by 16%, to total 3,000 tonnes, of which 419 tonnes were exported to UK (+62%).
France's sheep meat production in the first four months of the year was about 28,000 tonnes, at a similar level reported a year ago. However, Eurostat population data in 2017 records the French sheep population falling by 280,000 head (-4%) with 3% fewer ewes and ewe-lambs put to the ram in 2017. This could slightly suppress production in 2018, according to UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board experts. Consumption is also down by 5.6% in the first 5 months of the year compared with the same period of 2017 due to rising prices. The average retail price in the year so far has been €14.07/kg, an increase of 1.2% year on year.
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