Much of the rise in shipments for the year was driven by higher export lamb production, as drought conditions forced increased turnoff, according to the New Zealand Lamb Board.
The European Union still remains the largest export destination for NZ lamb, receiving 48 per cent of total exports in 2007, at 164,219 tonnes swt.
Exports to France increased by five per cent, to 25,067 tonnes swt, while shipments to the United Kingdom remained steady, at 74,403 tonnes swt.
Lamb exports to the Middle East reached their highest level since 2000, increasing 62 per cent year-on-year, to 28,422 tonnes swt. Shipments to Canada also increased, jumping 14 per cent on 2006, to 11,007 tonnes swt.
NZ lamb exports to the US fell five per cent for 2007, to 19,739 tonnes swt, with shipments to Japan back 45 per cent, to 6,395 tonnes swt.
o THE American Lamb Board (ALB) funds research studies to establish benchmarks, measure progress and evaluate the lamb checkoff programs.
Research studies also help the American Lamb Board design strategic advertising and promotion programs.
In 2006, ALB funded three studies: 1) a return on investment study; 2) an analysis of lamb demand in the US, and; 3) an analysis of Fresh Look Marketing retail sales data.
Texas A & M conducts an annual economic study for ALB to measure whether or not the return on the lamb checkoff is greater than the investment for the American Lamb industry.
According to Texas A & M, ALB's efforts have nearly doubled the return per Dollar spent on promotion. The study shows that, during the time period the lamb checkoff has been promoting American lamb, 7.6 additional pounds of lamb was consumed per Dollar spent, which translates to $41 (£20.50) in additional lamb sales!
ALB also funded an analysis of lamb demand in the United States prepared by Julie Stepanek Shiflett, PhD, Juniper Economic Consulting, Inc. and Dr Wayne Purcell, Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech.
The study revealed that lamb demand has increased 5.7 per cent in the last 10 years after many years of decline. The analysis of lamb demand also demonstrated that there remains great potential for further demand increases, particularly with the use of targeted marketing - to higher-income retail centers, to the food service sector and white tablecloth restaurants, in particular, and to the ethnic market.
2006 year-end data from Fresh Look Marketing shows the overall demand for lamb sold at retail is on the rise.
Lamb outperformed all other proteins as well as total meat over the 52-week period ending December 31, 2006. Lamb Dollar sales increased by 6.3 per cent and pound sales increased 5.7 per cent on an average price per pound increase of 0.6 per cent, to $4.99 (£2.49).
The American Lamb Board (ALB) is a national promotion, research and information organization whose purpose is to strengthen the position of lamb and lamb products in domestic and foreign markets.
The 13-member board, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, is composed of six producers, three feeders, one seedstock producer and three first handlers. The work of the Board is overseen by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service. All grants approved by ALB are subject to USDA's review and approval.