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Sheep Meat: Prices

Answer

From 2007 to 2010 there has been a large increase in the ex-farm price of finished sheep, which rose from 237p/kg to 389p/kg.¹The value from sheep and lamb production in the UK rose significantly from £641 million in 2007 to £958 million in 2009. The provisional figures for 2010 continue to show growth with an estimated value of £970 million.In this same period (2007-10) the production of sheep and lamb meat decreased by over 10%. There was a similar decline in the number of sheep (8%) over this period. However, the latest provisional UK results for 2011 show a 1% increase in the number of sheep and lambs to 31.4 million, the first increase since 2004.Movements in ex-farm prices and numbers of sheep, and the production costs, have a bearing on farm incomes in the sheep sector. DEFRA have published farm incomes for a range of farm types in England, including grazing livestock farms (lowland and LFA), for the year ending February 2011."¹ GB finished sheep (pence per kg estimated dressed carcass weight) average price in each year.""References""Agriculture in the UK""Table 5.15""http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/files/defra-stats-foodfarm-crosscutting-auk-auk2010-110525.pdf""June survey of Agriculture and Horticulture for the UK""Table 9—Sheep and Lambs""http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/files/defra-stats-foodfarm-landuselivestock-june-statsnotice-uk-111006.pdf""June survey time series""UK Livestock numbers 1866 to present""http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/landuselivestock/junesurvey/junesurveyresults/""Farm Business Survey results""http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/farmmanage/fbs/publications/fbsincomes/"

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

75034; 536 c556W

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Prices Sheep meat

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk