Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) launched its new five-year strategy to make Scotland the global consumer choice for red meat at last week’s Royal Highland Show.
The body announced its aim to drive demand from consumers on a platform of integrity, provenance and sustainability. The new three-pronged initiative includes work on genomics and a verification for eating quality.
Kate Rowell, chair of QMS, said: “Our industry has gone through a period of unprecedented volatility and there is the ongoing climate emergency. Food security pressures are growing and wholesale change to agriculture policy is on the horizon. The new initiative reflects both the passion we have for the red meat supply chain and its potential.”
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Sarah Millar, chief executive of QMS, said: “While the Scottish red meat sector has outperformed the rest of the UK by £130m in production since 2016, our aim must be to make Scotland the first choice for premium red meat. And we must be unwavering and commercial in our focus in order to achieve this. Success will be an industry with greater confidence, with profitability and productivity at its heart, delivering a product high in demand and seen globally as the premium brand.”
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Round-up Store cattle were once again in demand at Dumfries yesterday with prices remaining firm. Heifers from High Auchneel once again topped the market, selling to £1450/head, with bullocks from Kirkbride selling to £1395 for and bulls from Lantonside peaking at £1390. Calves were smaller in number and sold to £170 for Holsteins from The Ryes.
Prime lambs at Ayr yesterday sold to an average of 303p/kg or £127/head. Again, heavier well-fleshed lambs met with demand with leaner types harder to cash. Trade topped at £166 for a Beltex lamb from West Enoch and to 362p/kg for the same breed from East Revoch. Cast Texel ewes sold to a peak of £230 on two occasions, firstly to Underlaw and secondly to South Craigton, while Blackies sold to £90 for ewes from Brisbane Glen Estate, with tups reaching £230 for Arnsow. Meanwhile, a lack of numbers and quality saw the hogget average well down on the week at £67/head.
Limousin heifers at Lanark yesterday sold to 346p/kg for Brockwoodlees or to £2121/head for the same vendor. Limousin bullocks sold to 310p/kg for Greentower farms, while beef cows sold to £1970/head for Penicuik Estate, with dairy cows peaking at £1130/head for Messrs Struthers, Auchmeddan.
Bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 293p/kg and sold to 319p/kg, while heifers averaged 296p/kg and sold to 336p/kg. Cast cows averaged 202p/kg and sold to a top price of £2119/head, while lamb prices rose by an encouraging 24p/kg on the week to average £138/head and sell to £187 for Texels. Hoggs saw an even better lift, rising by 38p on the week to average £111/head and sell to £143/head of 274p/kg for Texels.
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