On Friday 22 June, the EU’s farming cooperatives and organisations, COPA-COGECA, warned of the difficult situation currently being experienced by the EU sheep sector, which is hit by low consumption and low prices.
COPA-COGECA underlined the need for innovation and promotion measures to boost consumption, especially among the young. Michèle Boudoin, who chairs the COPA-COGECA sheepmeat working group, spoke of the market situation, saying that consumption amounts to around 2-2.5 kg per head a year in many member states, except in Greece where it reaches 4.5 kg per head a year, compared to 18 kg per head a year some time ago.
Over the same period, European sheep production has increased by 6.8% compared to last year’s levels, and goat meat production is up by 10.9%. The price for heavy lamb is down while remaining slightly above the very low levels recorded last year, while the price of light lamb is below 2017 levels.
Michèle Boudoin went on to recommend measures to make the sector more attractive to young consumers. She also said the problem of attacks on sheep flocks by large carnivores such as wolves should be solved, and that an effort should be made to revalorise wool, as it is currently treated as waste in some member states. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)