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Imports
of both beef and lamb into the UK showed a marked drop in 2005 as home
production showed a sharp increase - of up to 18 per cent in the case
of beef.
Figures released by the English Beef and Lamb Executive
(EBLEX) show that during 2005 production of beef was up from 709,000
tonnes in the
same period in 2004 to 744,000 tonnes while sheep meat production in
the
same months rose four per cent from 306,000 tonnes to 317,000 tonnes.
Much of the increase in beef production is laid at the
door of producers maximising carcase weights while production in Ireland
was down and supplies
in the rest of Europe were also running at a lower level, which reduced
imports.
During last year sheep production in Britain recovered
from the drought- affected performance of 2004 making an extra 500,000
prime lambs available
for the market.
Duncan Sinclair, the Meat & Livestock Commission's Economics Manager,
said: "With the change in the Over Thirty Month Sceme regulations
this year we will see further home produced beef available for the market
at the expense of imported meat."
[9 Feb 06]
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