The Skagafjördur Cooperative (KS) has never exported as much lamb as this year. Its main market is in Britain, to where 600 tons of lambs are exported. Other important markets are in Spain and the Faroe islands, while demand is also increasing in Asia.

Icelandic sheep. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.

“Export has been very successful—we have never exported as much meat in kilos. We have also received a fairly good price for the meat in addition to increased demand,” Ágúst Andrésson, director of the KS Meat Product Department, told Morgunbladid.

In Asia, Japan is the largest customer. KS exports approximately 120 tons of mostly fatty lamb products to Japan, which natives have begun preferring to their own lamb products, Andrésson said.

Demand is also growing in Vietnam, where consumers are keen on variety meat. “We are able to use almost everything that is suitable for human consumption,” Andrésson said. “We are exporting stomachs, intestines, kidneys, diaphragms and testicles to Vietnam where we are given a decent price for these side-products.”

“But what counts the most right now is that we’re exporting a lot of more expensive lamb products to Spain. Five to six years ago we only shipped one to two containers to that market but the volume has increased significantly,” Andrésson added.

KS exports approximately 250 tons of meat to Spain, including lamb saddles. Andrésson estimates that the total value of the lamb which his company is exporting this year is around ISK 540 million (USD 4.4 million, EUR 2.9 million).