Spain's sheep population has fallen by 44% in 25 years, but lamb exports have risen sharply.

These are some of the facts that were presented this Monday during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Interprofessional Organization for Sheep and Goat Meat (Interovic), an event opened by Elena Busutil, Director General for Agricultural Production and Markets at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Busutil cited figures reflecting the dynamics experienced at the producer level since 2020: in 2000, there were 24 million head of sheep registered, compared to 13.4 million in 2024 , representing 44% of the total herd. Meat production has declined by 57%, and the number of farms has decreased by 19%.

However, as already noted, given the downward trend in domestic consumption, the sector has focused on exports.

He emphasized that, over the 25 years of Interporc's existence, its turnover has increased sixfold, reaching €575 million in 2024. Furthermore, the company has a "positive and sustainable trade balance."

On the other hand, he emphasized the “fundamental” role of Interovic over the years and its commitment to improving “sustainability, innovation and quality in small ruminant production.”

He called on Interovic to continue advertising campaigns, promote new cutting and presentation options for the product, and open up more foreign markets to combat "shrinking domestic demand."

The lack of generational renewal is also among the "first-order" problems, which he believes must be addressed by combating the outflow of population from rural areas, improving the social image of the sector, and investing in innovation.

For his part, Interovic President Raúl Muñiz told Efeagro that the interprofessional organization is in "good shape" after 25 years. "At the organizational level, we have a well-organized interprofessional organization, and we are all working in the same direction (...), since we are all participants in the same production chain," he emphasized.

Looking to the future, he is optimistic because he sees opportunities for generational change, and also because Spanish lamb is “highly valued” in Muslim countries, where, in addition, the purchasing power of society is growing.

The closing ceremony was led by Emilio García, Director General of the Department of Agri-Food Production, Health and Animal Welfare, who praised the importance Interovic has acquired over its 25 years of existence.

He assured that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) fully supports interprofessional organizations, as this is the right step for sectors that want to open up to internationalization.

Beyond the current impact of bluetongue, Garcia focused on the "good news" achieved over the past two decades, such as the eradication of brucellosis, which had been a "hurdle" for the sector for "many years."

However, speaking about animal health , he acknowledged the existence of “a problem related to a whole series of diseases whose appearance in Spain was less expected.”

On this commemorative day, in addition to the data on the 44% loss of the population, other issues were also addressed, such as trends in the gourmet market, the evolution from tradition to the avant-garde in this sector, and a tribute was paid to the presidents who have been part of Interovic over these 25 years.