12 February 2007, 20:39 PM
  • Exports of British meat and livestock products have crashed through the £1 billion barrier for the first time in more than ten years.

Preliminary figures released today by the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) show beef and lamb exports both increasing with sales of lamb abroad reaching £230 million and beef at £90 million while pork exports were at
£100 million.

And in its first year of full export trading, British beef exports reached more than 40,000 tonnes - way above the original estimate of 30,000 tonnes.

The figures are the highest since 1995 when beef exports were banned because of BSE.

Meat export manager, Jean-Pierre Garnier, said, “A great deal of work has been put into ensuring British beef, pork and lamb have been displayed in as many foreign markets as possible and we are now planning a concentrated programme of activity for this coming year.

“Many foreign markets have been enthusiastic buyers. It seems we have the right products at the right prices.”