Rising imports of sheepmeat alarm even more UK farmers

The bulk of the fresh lamb product being eaten in the UK is still home-grown product. Picture from Kelly Butterworth Sheep farmers from Wales are the latest to complain about the impact of free trade deals on meat sales. But last year's trade figures reveal they have little to fear from Australia's yet-to-be-signed pact with the UK government. Australia has slipped to third place behind New Zealand and Ireland as major importers of sheepmeat to the UK. The Republic of Ireland has remained in the European Union and has kept out of these post-Brexit trade deals. Overall sheepmeat imports to the UK were up 17 per cent for 2022 to 54,300 tonnes worth just over A$607 million which is what has alarmed the Welsh farmers.. Australia's two major sheepmeat markets are the US and China, worth more than a billion dollars each. The UK struggles to enter Australia's top 10 export markets for volume or price. The big issue for the Welsh is the large amount of frozen legs of lamb from New ...