Smokies 'could raise �3m a year'

Legalisation could add �20 to the value of a mutton carcass, the report says

The legal production of smokies, wood-smoked sheep or goat meat with the skin on, could be worth an extra £3m to Wales' meat industry, says a report.

Despite their thriving trade in many British immigrant communities, smokies are banned in the UK under EC law.

But the Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) report suggests they could be produced in approved abattoirs.

HCC's Gwyn Howells said it was "in the interests of the Welsh meat industry" to lobby the EC for a law change.

Smokies are particularly popular among people from West Africa and parts of Asia, and with up to 240,000 West African immigrants living in cities across the UK, the market is potentially lucrative, the report said.

The research, for the Food Standards Agency (FSA), estimated that 155,000 cull ewe carcasses could be used for the new product every year.

The average retail value of skin-on sheep meat would be approximately £20 above the average retail price for a conventional mutton carcass, said the report. This would amount to an extra £3.1m in income per year.

This is good news for the red meat sector Gwyn Howells, HCC chief executive

Farmers wanting to take advantage of the trade would have to avoid giving their sheep intramuscular or subcutaneous injections and shear them a fortnight prior to slaughter, the report noted.

The smaller to medium sized abattoirs likely to get involved would also have to invest in new equipment, estimated to cost approximately £75,000 per premises.

"This is good news for the red meat sector," said Mr Howells, HCC chief executive.

"The report estimates that the additional income for farmers, processors and retailers if the production of skin-on meat is legalized will be in excess of £3m in Wales alone.

"The livestock that is needed for this product will be older cull ewes, and represent a product that is in addition to our current output of premium quality Welsh Lamb.

"As a result, skin-on sheep meat is an entirely new product generating new income for everyone involved."

'Inspection and hygiene'

The report advised that the legalisation of the trade was still some way off, however.

In order for the law to be changed, the FSA would have to provide the European Commission with detailed scientific evidence proving that it could be produced safely and hygienically in approved abattoirs.

"It's too soon to speculate exactly when the FSA will be in a position to approach the EC to call for a change in current legislation," said Mr Howells.

"But this report adds to the dossier of evidence being gathered by the FSA in favour of changing the law."

Mr Howells said the FSA had already gathered evidence on meat inspection and hygiene.

A scientific report would then be sent to the FSA board before ministers were asked to formally approach the EC to change the law.

"The process of legalising the production of skin-on sheep meat is, however, likely to take a number of years," said Mr Howells.

"From the demand side alone, it is without doubt in the interests of the Welsh red meat industry to approach the EC to reconsider its position on the legalisation of this process."

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