FARMERS from Glamorgan have gone all out promoting Welsh lamb when they joined red meat agency Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) at their supermarket tour in Cardiff.
FUW Glamorgan county chairman Richard Walker and FUW Presidential Policy team delegate for South Wales Ian Rickman met with customers at Costco Wholesale UK Ltd. to promote the fine flavours, tenderness and versatility of Welsh Lamb.
It also provided an opportunity to explain the meaning and importance of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) logo to supermarket shoppers.
Richard Walker said: “Our food produce is grown and reared to the highest welfare standards across Europe or in the world even. It should therefore be a priority that home grown food is served at our dinner tables and is readily available in our supermarkets.”
In addition to Welsh produce taking prime position on supermarket shelves, the FUW has long called for Welsh and UK produce to be available in schools, hospitals, local authorities, leisure centres and nursing homes throughout the year.
“Local produce, such as Welsh lamb and beef should be the first choice for supermarkets, restaurants and everyone else who has a role to play in the food chain. It is great to see that more and more retailers are choosing Welsh premium products over cheap food imports but there is a lot more to be done, especially in light of our exit from the European union and the uncertainty over future export markets,” added Richard Walker.
Earlier this year the Union welcomed the call from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Chair, Neil Parish MP, for the British Retail Consortium to do more to improve British lamb prices and availability in supermarkets.
In his letter to the British Retail Consortium, he highlighted that a number of major supermarkets are relying on imported lamb for the majority or all of their lamb stocks, and are not selling British lamb.
The MP further asks for assurances ’that UK retailers are supporting and promoting British lamb with consumers and ensuring that British lamb products are not undercut by cheaper imported products or promotions’.
“One thing that we are reminded of and something we have known for many years, centuries even, is that the food we produce in Wales and across the UK is of first class quality.
“Our lamb is loved across Europe, our beef is renowned for its tenderness and full flavour. So it saddens me that our award winning food produce is not always getting the recognition here at home as far and wide as it should.
“It is therefore welcome to see Costco Wholesale UK Ltd. joining the line of already committed retailers who make sourcing our Welsh lamb a priority and we enjoyed joining HCC to promote our fine Welsh lamb,” said FUW Presidential Policy team delegate for South Wales Ian Rickman.
“We very much appreciate support from farmers for our promotional activity,” said HCC’s Consumer Executive Elwen Roberts.
“It was great to have a helping hand from Ian and Richard to educate the public about our top-quality produce. Hearing directly from producers about how the meat is reared makes such a difference to consumers. Early indications are that the promotion, tastings and recipe leaflets gave sales of Welsh Lamb in the store a real boost,” she added.
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