Increasing the proportion of sheep farmers who are quality assured remains a key priority for Bord Bia, Seamus McMenamin insisted at Teagasc Hill Sheep Conference in Westport.

McMenamin pointed out that just 60% of Irish lamb is quality assured, well below the 90-95% of beef which qualifies for the quality standard.

“A key one for me is trying to increase that level of quality assurance in the kill because it does make a difference when you are engaging with a customer in terms of demanding that premium price,” explained McMenamin, who is Bord Bia’s sheepmeat and livestock manager.

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Pointing out that Irish lamb could not compete with Australian or New Zealand product from a price perspective, McMenamin maintained that supplying quality assured or organic lamb was necessary to “set us apart”. “These are the sorts of areas that we need to be playing in to get that premium,” he said.

Organic lamb

Developing markets for organic lamb was a further priority for the sector, the Westport conference heard.

“We are preparing for a surge in organic numbers going forward,” said James Smyth of Irish Country Meats.

This is a consequence of the increased numbers in the Organic Farming Scheme, he explained.

While Smyth conceded that organic lamb remained niche, he said it was being marketed alongside conventional produce in order to provide an option for customers.

Irish Country Meats is paying a 15% premium on top of the conventional lamb price for organic lamb, up to a maximum of €1/kg, Smyth said.

The conference heard that the number of light lambs processed by Irish Country Meats had increased by 3,000 head last year.

Meeting the specifications and selecting the lambs that met these specifications were the critical considerations, Smyth said.

Meanwhile, the revival in light lamb processing by Irish Country Meats and Kepak had provided crucial options for farmers outside of selling their lambs as stores, according to Connemara farmer Brendan Joyce.

Joyce pointed out that he sold some of his lambs as stores while finishing others.

“But I can make that decision, I am in control,” he said.

In other news from the conference, Seamus McMenamin stated that Ireland was not seeking to establish a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for Irish hill lamb.

“Europe has really tightened up on the PGI. You really need to be able to back up the claims you are making and prove that your product is unique,” he explained.