December 21, 2007

 

UK reels from record high sales of imported meat

 

 

Imported meat in UK has again increased to a new high after one of the worst years on record for British farmers.

 

As British shoppers have purchased even more beef, lamb and pork from abroad this year than in 2006, it has pushed the total amount of foreign meat bought an all-time high.

 

The figures are particularly worrisome as the industry struggled with foot-and-mouth-disease, bluetongue, bird flu and floods this year. Campaigners last night called on shoppers to support farmers this Christmas.

 

In the past nine months red meat imports have risen by two percent on the corresponding period of 2006 to 803,000 tonnes.

 

The UK imported 95,496 tonnes of sheep meat - up by over 4,000 tonnes on last year - and fresh pork imports rose to 332,739 tonnes from 329,362 tonnes last year. Beef imports also increased by almost 4,000 tonnes to 176,289 tonnes.

 

Last year shoppers bought a staggering 1.1 million tonnes of foreign pork, beef and lamb, but the overall figures for 2007 looks on target to be higher than ever. Poultry imports were down by four percent in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period last year.

 

The National Farmers Union (NFU) admits that 2007 is an "incredibly difficult year for agriculture and the NFU would urge consumers to support British farmers at this time by buying British meat. Look for the little red tractor or symbol in the supermarket but also support local farm shops."

 

Earlier this week, it was discovered that thousands of tonnes of apparently fresh poultry meat sold in supermarkets and catering outlets is imported and often months old.

 

The problem is that much imported meat is still being branded as British due to a loophole in the law. Food can be labelled as produced in whichever country it was processed last. Processing can simply be smoking bacon or curing ham.

 

Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Jim Paice is urging everyone to buy "British this Christmas and show their support for local farmers who have had a pretty terrible year."

 

The Yorkshire Post's Clearly British campaign has been calling for clear, unambiguous labelling of where the meat is from in shops and restaurants.

 

The campaign scored a major victory last month when the Food Standards Agency produced new draft guidance to stop customers being misled over the origin of produce. But there is still a long way to go.

 

Paice said local farmers continue to be undermined -- and consumers misled -- by the labelling rules which allow imported produce to be passed off as British and this state of affairs is "completely unacceptable."

 

Country Land and Business Association regional director Dorothy Fairburn said: "Yorkshire farmers produce some of the world's best beef and lamb; it should be clearly labelled so that consumers can support local producers."