A three-year Welsh Government investment of £1.2 million to support the export activities of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has resulted in over £38 million of new and safeguarded business for PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef.
Among the new business secured in emerging markets were almost £11 million of new exports to Scandinavia, £4 million of additional business in Italy, and £1.5 million in extra business in new and developing markets for PGI Welsh Lamb such as Hong Kong, Switzerland and Canada.
The programme also helped to secure a range of existing business, including £13 million of combined exports to France, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
The project, which lasted from 2013 to 2016, enabled HCC to undertake a wide range of promotional activities across the globe, including raising awareness of the PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef brands among consumers, working with supermarkets and prestige food service agents to promote Welsh red meat, supporting a presence for exporters at key trade fairs, and hosting inward missions to Wales by chefs and journalists.
Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, said: “For an investment of £1.2 million over three years, we have supported HCC and the Welsh red meat sector to maintain £20 million of existing trade, and secured over £18.5 million of new business, both in markets where Welsh produce is already well-known, and breaking new ground.
“The three-year programme has given a major boost to the important red meat sector, which is worth £1 billion a year to the Welsh economy, and accounts for £200 million of total exports.”
As an export dependent industry the Welsh red meat sector is currently looking to safeguard existing markets and develop new trading relationships in light of the decision to leave the European Union.
“The success of this programme will be vital in putting the industry on a firm footing during the uncertainty of the post-referendum period, as Wales seeks to maintain established markets in Europe and renew our efforts to develop trade further afield,” Griffiths added.
Dai Davies, chairman of HCC, also commented: “It’s very encouraging that business relationships were protected and developed in existing markets such as Italy, France, Germany and Spain, and that red meat from Wales is also now gaining a presence in Switzerland, Hong Kong and other new areas.
“Now that this project has been successfully completed, HCC’s market development team will continue to work with retailers across the world on promotional campaigns, to meet the challenges of the next few years when the Brexit vote will change the landscape for our industry.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
