The latest data on Irish food exports for the first six months of the year (see page 26) shows a very strong performance, despite all the challenges faced.

The drop in sheepmeat exports to our nearest neighbour, however, was striking. Industry people I have talked to all also mention increased imports from the southern hemisphere as a factor. New Zealand lamb has long been accepted on British shelves, and recent trade deals mean there will be more of it available in coming years.

Looking at it through this lens, Dawn Meats’ proposed investment in a New Zealand processor is the Irish company jumping on a trend which is already in place.

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It’s unlikely that the trend would change whether Dawn is directly involved in the process or not.

The one thing that might change the appetite for southern hemisphere sheepmeat in the UK is price. We can see that the deadweight price differential between Irish and Australian sheepmeat has closed from €5/kg in early March to around €1.10/kg now. That narrowing significantly reduces the appeal of shipping product halfway around the world.