Welsh lamb gets new legal protection

The European Commission has given the go-ahead for Welsh lamb to be designated as a product of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).

It now gets the same ring-fence legal protection against fake labels as Scotch beef and lamb, Herefordshire cider and Welsh beef.

In a second shot in the arm for the industry, more than 1,000 farmers will be needed to meet an increased demand for the product by supermarket giants Tesco.

The PGI label is a means of encouraging and protecting quality food production across the European Union.

The announcement comes ahead of European farm commissioner Franz Fischler's visit to the Royal Welsh Show on Thursday.

I am greatly looking forward to sampling some high quality Welsh lamb EC commissioner Franz Fischler

When a product acquires a reputation extending beyond national borders it can find itself in competition with products which pass themselves off as the genuine article and take the same name.

It is argued that this unfair competition not only discourages producers but also misleads consumers.

In the case of the PGI label, the geographical link must occur in at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation.

Franz Fischler says it's good news for Wales

Mr Fischler said: "This is excellent news for the Welsh sheep industry. The industry is a vital component of Wales' rural economy.

"It is also timely that this announcement comes at the beginning of the Royal Welsh Show.

Special product

"I will be visiting the show on Thursday and am greatly looking forward to sampling some high quality Welsh lamb.

"Welsh lamb is a very special product and I'm sure that this decision will help promote the product throughout the European Union."

Welsh lamb exports to other EU member states are worth nearly �50m, with France the biggest customer followed by Germany, Italy and Belgium.

The European system of protecting the names of quality products has been developed for the benefit of both farmers and consumers.

It is part of the commission's strategy to promote more quality and less "food mountain" quantity and will help protect product names like Welsh lamb from misuse and imitation.

It can also help consumers by giving them information about the specific character of the products that they are buying.

Other products with similar protection include French foie gras du sud-ouest, Italian Parma ham, Breton cider and English stilton.

Welsh beef was granted PGI status in November 2002.

The second boost for Welsh lamb means more than 1,000 extra farmers will be needed to meet the demand for hill lamb because supermarket chain Tesco plans to extend its promotion of the product.

The store announced the sales move to coincide with the opening of the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells after the company had trialled a range of the meat in its 43 Welsh stores to help farmers in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Merthyr Tydfil-based processors St Merryn Meat is recruiting another 1,100 farmers to supply 8,000 lambs weekly.