MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Promising lamb exports

Magallanes Region two main abattoirs are operating at full capacity and anticipate that coming seasons will be even better for farmers in the extreme south of Chile given the free trade agreement with the European Union that became effective this month. Besides, this has meant an immediate increase in the Chilean lamb quota to the European market from three to five thousand tons.

Mr. Nicolás Simunovic, head of the Simunovic abattoir in Punta Arenas said that this season "we'll be shipping between 2,600 and 2,700 tons of lamb to Europe plus another important volume to Mexico, our second best customer".

"I think it has been a good year for sheep farmers, with high lambing percentages, good prices for lamb particularly hefty, heavy animals", added Mr. Simunovic, saying that the average lamb weight at the abattoir will have reached 13,5 kilos, "the highest in several seasons".

Further south, Dr. Juan Díaz, chief veterinarian at the Sacor abattoir plant located in Porvenir said that this year they expect to sell over a thousand tons of lamb and mutton to the European Union, plus 400 tons of special kosher cuts to Israel.

"Lambs in Porvenir are averaging 12 kilos and we've even had to purchase from Argentine Tierra del Fuego to complete shipments. I think we are going to have a very good season and prospects for regional farmers are most encouraging", said Mr. Díaz.

However Mr. Suminovic pointed out that to take full advantage of the European market and possibly in a near future the United States, "farmers will have to increase production, have better genetics and improve pastures, since the demand is clearly for heavier lambs".

Stressing the importance of sheep farming for Magallanes Region, Punta Arenas La Prensa Austral recalled in an editorial that the industry actually began in 1876 when the then governor of Magallanes, Diego Dublé Almeida travelled to the Falkland Islands and purchased the first 300 sheep that were then sold to an English businessman Henry Reynard established in the area. It was Mr. Reynard's pioneering that attracted other Magallanes farmers to invest in sheep and now Magallanes has Chile's main flock with over two million head.

Argentine ovine meat exports

Argentine ovine meat overseas sales, fresh and processed increased 61% in volume and 40% in income during 2002 totalling 1,667 tons and 2,97 million US dollars according to official statistics from the Ministry or Production.

Fresh lamb and mutton exports reached 1,614 tons and 2,64 million US dollars, well above the 1,014 tons and 1,97 million US dollars of 2001.

Argentina's main markets were Spain, Britain and Israel, with significant shipment increases of fresh mutton and lamb to Belgium, Italy, Germany, Angola and Brazil.