Livestock producers can now access a wealth of industry information collected from the 2016 beef and sheep industry in a new pocket-sized yearbook produced by AHDB Beef & Lamb.
Facts and figures have been compiled and updated to deliver key insights for industry from farm-to-fork.
Beef and veal exports were up ten per cent on 2015 at more than 110,000 tonnes, giving a return of £370 million to the beef sector. However, issues around supplies, competitiveness and consumer demand have played a significant part in driving up prices.
For the sheep sector, prices remained below average until May. June’s referendum led to a sharp decline in the value of the pound and consumer demand came under pressure due to rising retail prices and competitively priced alternatives such as chicken.
Duncan Wyatt, lead red meat analyst at AHDB, said: “The pocketbook provides essential information to our levy payers and stakeholders, helping them make informed decisions about their businesses.
“Having an insight into recent market trends ensures the industry is better prepared for what is to come. This is even more important with Brexit on the horizon, as levy payer businesses need to ensure they are equipped to deal with the potential impact this may have.”
The yearbook can be downloaded from the AHDB Beef & Lamb website or a hard copy requested by emailing beeflamb.comms@ahdb.org.uk