Demand for meat stays healthy

Strong retail sales and a slowly recovering restaurant sector, together with the fortunate timing of a religious festival, helped create a healthy demand for meat from Scottish livestock as the country began to move out of lockdown, according to Scotland’s auctioneers.

“The prime sheep trade is in full swing and timing is on-point,” said Scott Donaldson, president, of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS).

Looking at the trade which had been stronger than many had expected, he said that lambs had performed exceptionally well and finished earlier with heavier weights.

He said that this increase in supply had been met by a boost in demand from the Muslim festival of Qurbani at the end of July, which had driven the finished lamb trade.

“As a result, every mart in Scotland has sold more lambs since the beginning of June than the same period last year,” said Donaldson.

And he said that despite the upcoming uncertainties of Brexit, both lamb and beef prices currently stood above last year’s levels.

“Looking ahead, things could stay buoyant for store cattle: There’s plenty of feed and grass about, and with a shortage of finished animals coming forward, there’s no sign of values easing.”

He also said that the there had been an increase in the number of lambs sold live through the ring.

He added: “For lambs, there’s a confidence in the trade right now, which is giving the breeding sheep and store lamb sales a boost.

“Let’s hope this continues, as Britain – or Scotland at least – gradually gets back to eating out again.”