Spain: Sheep sector pins its future on exports

In one interview, he did not hesitate to say that lamb “is the most religious” as it is essential for religions like Islam and Judaism, which is why they have focused their exports on regions like North Africa.

He noted that despite the decline in domestic consumption of lamb (-7.7% in households according to the cumulative moving average for November last year), these countries are seeing an increase in population, purchasing power and lamb consumption.

However, in Spain it has become "a festive dish compared to the weekly consumption that existed many years ago"; a tradition that "we have lost, and I don't think there is a way back."

Restored prices

At the farm level, Muñiz noted that 2024 was a "good year," as lamb prices recovered thanks to lower input costs and "good field weather." Added to this is the decline in sheep numbers (half a million fewer in 2024), which will lead to a decline in production.

A decline in livestock numbers, as well as increased demand from countries like Morocco, which are experiencing a drought-induced lamb production crisis , also led to an increase in the national consumer price index for lamb. In fact, according to him, the February consumer price index recorded a 12.3% year-on-year increase in lamb prices .

Community Policy

Muñiz is also president of the Sheep and Goat Working Group of the Committee of European Agricultural Organisations and Cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) and therefore closely follows the new vision of agriculture that the European Commission wants to promote.

He vacillates between "hope", inspired by the new European Commissioner for Agriculture Christoph Hansen, for moving closer to the vision of producers, and "resignation from the knowledge that this will be very difficult, as we need flexible, bold and fast decisions", which runs counter to the "EU mechanism".

He believes that until now the European Union has “not seen” the importance of the sheep and goat sector for environmental sustainability or its social significance and has, in effect, passed laws “against us”.

Among these laws, he particularly complained about the directive on animal welfare in transport currently under consideration in Brussels, which, he said, is particularly harmful to Spain due to its climate and remote location. He noted that this regulation demonstrates that there are people who legislate at the community level "but have never been to the countryside."

Commercial script

At the international trade level, your sector continues to closely monitor the EU -Mercosur free trade agreement and examine its potential impact.

As for EXPORT, they haveA visa to Brazil, a country that presents "opportunities as it is a clear buyer" of this MEAT. Another option is to "search for niche markets" in Mercosur regions that may be interested in meat with quality labels (PDO and PGI).

At the import level, he called for mirror provisions to be applied so that imported meat could compete on a "level" basis with meat from the EU.

Regarding the US- led trade war , Muñiz explains that current trade volume with that country is "zero," so he's not overly concerned. However, he acknowledges that it's a country with "great opportunities" that they're focusing on.

Blue fever control plan

In terms of animal HEALTH, the sector is primarily affected by the bluetongue virus, the surveillance, control and eradication programme for which was recently amended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, making vaccination voluntary on the peninsula.

Muñiz said this was a "logical" change that was in line with the strategies of other EU countries and that it did not reduce the competitiveness of the Spanish sheep trade internationally.

Finally, he praised the storm surge that hit the peninsula in March, which "helped alleviate the drought." Furthermore, the rains proved particularly favorable for extensive livestock farming, as streams and springs filled up and grass appeared, which he predicted "will thrive in the spring sunshine."