North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs to help Welsh farmers wanting to export produce to Saudi Arabia.
Mr Isherwood made the call in the Assembly Chamber yesterday after being contacted by an Anglesey farmer, who highlighted the potential for Welsh lamb exports, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
Addressing the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM, Mr Isherwood said:
“We've been in correspondence over recent months, on behalf of an Anglesey farmer - a lamb producer - who's highlighted the potential for Welsh lamb exports in, particularly, Saudi Arabia. He has also previously worked for the Meat Hygiene Service. He says the Saudis are far more interested in quality Welsh lamb carcasses than cuts, and, clearly, this will have implications for the importance of extending shelf life. But when he attended a Farming Connect meeting in June, the presentation by Hybu Cig Cymru on exports to Saudi Arabia made no reference to Saudi culture, where they like taking whole lamb carcasses out to the desert to cook.
“In one of your replies to me, you said some red meat processors in Wales who export to distant markets are able to achieve a shelf life of 42 days for Welsh lamb products, but when I chased that up, you confirmed that only the Rhug Estate in Corwen is currently able to achieve that 42-day figure. Noting that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has written to me, saying that they're working with the Saudi Food and Drink Authority with a view to gaining market access for UK lamb, what engagement are you having not only in that engagement with DEFRA and the Saudis, but to ensure that Welsh lamb is able to meet the time period and the whole-carcass needs, which will drive access to Saudi Arabia and similar parts of the world?”
The Cabinet Secretary replied: “Obviously, shelf life is something we're having to look at very carefully, particularly in light of Brexit. You'll be aware that a third of Welsh lamb currently is exported to the EU. So, with all the uncertainty around that, we are having to look at new markets and, obviously, the Middle East is one area that we are looking at, and, certainly, my officials too are engaged in relation to that.
“Carcasses -you're quite right, again; we are looking at the whole of an animal, and I think it's very important that these conversations are held. I was talking with a company at the winter fair on Monday around carcasses also, because, as you say, it is something that the Saudi culture likes to have. So, I just want to assure you that those conversations are ongoing with my officials at the current time.”