Scottish consumers might not be the biggest fans of lamb, but an increasing Muslim population, is bolstering demand for UK sheepmeat to add to considerable export opportunities.

As the UK's population evolves to include various populations from throughout the world, so too are consumer habits, and there is growing evidence that sheepmeat will become more popular in this country as a result.

"Demand for sheepmeat from the Muslim population is growing as that sector of the UK population grows and becomes increasingly affluent and discerning," said Rizvan Khalid, director of Euro Quality Lambs and a board member of AHDB Beef and Lamb.

“In the UK, Muslims represent about 5% of the population, but they are estimated to consume in the region of 20% all sheepmeat eaten in the UK.

"According to the 2011 census, this population is predominantly south Asian in heritage, with about 48% of them being under 25 and 88% being under 50. Much of the younger portion of the British Muslim population is now third generation and these consumers want greater product quality, increased product variety as well as convenience and assurance,” explained Mr Khalid.

“This generation has higher levels of disposable income than their parents and eat out significantly more often than their parents’ and grandparents’ generations ever did. The British Muslim protein plate is about 60% poultry and 35% sheepmeat, with little beef and no pork in the diet.

“As sheep farmers will be well aware, demand for Halal mutton fundamentally underpins the cull ewe trade in the UK and indeed much of the EU.”

Mr Khalid added that European Muslim populations are also growing and represent a good export opportunity for UK producers.

“The French Muslim population is in the region of 6m, representing about 10% of the entire French population, while a similar number of Muslims now live in Germany, with a Dutch Muslim population of about 1m and Spanish Muslims numbering nearly 2m with a further 2m visiting the country annually as tourists.

“With a large portion of UK sheepmeat production being exported, this growing EU Muslim population clearly represents a significant export opportunity for UK producers,” he said.

The Halal market is not without its challenges, he accepted, and there are a number of issues which have to be managed. “As with any specialist market it is vital to maximise trust for consumers, that means eliminating cross-contamination risks and guaranteeing that sheepmeat sold as Halal is slaughtered as Halal.

“There is a widespread belief that Halal slaughter has to be done without pre-stunning. This is inaccurate. The central requirement of Halal slaughter is that the animal must be alive at the point of slaughter and the Tasmiyya ‘In the name of God, God is Great’ must be said before every animal is slaughtered. So long as that is done the animal is deemed as Halal.

“So, under Halal, slaughter animals can be stunned pre-slaughter, but that stunning must not kill the animal or adversely affect the blood flow or cause more pain to the animal.

“As a result, only electric head-only stunning of lambs complies with Halal slaughter. About 80% of all UK Halal slaughter is pre-stunned, but the proportion killed without stunning is increasing due to a lack of confidence in Halal-stun assurance,” said Mr Khalid.

This contrasts with New Zealand, where more than 95% of New Zealand lamb is pre-stunned Halal slaughtered. “New Zealand abattoirs have been able to physically demonstrate to customers and Halal auditors the recoverability of lambs following electric head-only stunning. Allowing UK abattoirs to do the same would give greater confidence among the Muslim population and allow maximum market penetration for UK Halal sheepmeat,” he added.

When it comes to meeting market requirements, Mr Khalid said the Halal market in the EU requires both lambs and older sheep, particularly cull sheep. Ultimately, this sector of the market is much like any other, and there is a wide spread of consumer tastes and preferences so it is important to have product available to suit them all.

The Muslim calendar also has a massive influence in sheepmeat consumption, he said, with most families stocking up heavily ahead of Ramadan and again mid-way through. “As the focus is on charity, reflection and worship, bulk stocking of food and easily prepared meals are key," he said.

“Meat is bought for large gatherings of family and friends, particularly at weekends and the end of Ramadan. This changing demand dynamic has a significant impact on the sheepmeat market each year and having finished stock available to suit demand is important.”

A second major festival is Qurbani, a Muslim thanks giving day which this year took place on August 21, 10 days earlier than in 2017. This takes place two lunar months and 10 days after the end of Ramadan.

“From an industry perspective there are two major peaks in demand associated with this festival. The first is an increased demand for normal Halal meat for the celebratory meal on Eid-al-Adha (Qurbani day), with this meat bought before Eid-al-Adha.

“The second is the demand for Qurbani Assured animals and their resulting meat for individual consumers. These must only be slaughtered on Eid-al-Adha itself from sunset prayers onwards (and up to three days after), with enthusiastic customers waiting to collect their meat as soon as practically possible. Large numbers of animals are procured in advance for both these requirements.”

Crucially, Qurbani Assured animals must be at least six months old at the time of slaughter and animals must also be fit and healthy at slaughter, with no visible lameness, defects or illness.

“This market is increasingly important, with a current demand estimate of between 50,000 and 100,000 lambs from the UK, France and Germany. But it has the potential to grow to 300,000 in future. With increased demand for normal Halal meat the overall market is many times this amount during this period,” he added.

As the date of Qurbani moves 10-11 days earlier each year, it will become more difficult to meet demand with new season lambs and breeding and management decisions may need to be tailored to better meet the needs of this market.

“In future, I can see Qurbani Assurance schemes and declarations being critical for trade, with producers and auctioneers working together to market lambs as being eligible for this festival.

BOX

* Rizvan Khalid will be a speaker at the iTexel Conference at the North Lakes Hotel, Penrith, on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

The conference aims to provide farmers and those in the allied industries with a unique opportunity to gain a greater insight of the Texel Sheep Society’s breed development, and research and development work, as well as the latest industry trends and shifts in consumer behaviour.

The conference is free for Texel Sheep Society members and will be chaired by Mark Young, head of innovation at the Centre of Innovation Excellence in Livestock. Speakers will address a number of key themes to help breeders and commercial producers better understand the changing nature of the UK sheep sector, said the society's chief executive, John Yates.

“These are rapidly changing times for the UK and indeed the global sheep sector. While the UK remains the largest sheep producer in the EU and the third largest sheepmeat exporter in the world the coming years will see the industry face huge challenges.

“Perhaps the most visible of these is Brexit and the negotiation of trade deals with both the remaining EU27 and the rest of the world.”

But, says Mr Yates, perhaps the biggest challenge is not Brexit, but the changing pattern of lamb consumption both within the UK and further afield. “Data from Kantar WorldPanel showed a 9.8% drop in retail lamb sales within the UK in 2017, a dramatic continuation of an ongoing trend. The same shift is being seen in a number of key export markets, such as France and Spain too.”

Places for the conference cost £20, including refreshments and lunch, and are available on a strictly first come, first served basis. Texel Sheep Society members are eligible for one free ticket per membership and those attending will be refunded this after the conference.

For more details on the iTexel Conference see www.texel.uk