Shops are told to ditch Welsh lamb

The local ministry for Agriculture has been holding talks with local supermarket chains to try and convince them to ditch Welsh lamb in favour of meat which is locally produced. Ministry for Agriculture Mateu Morro said that their talks had been quite successful. “Balearic lamb which is on sale is of top quality and completely safe,” he said yesterday. But his re-assuring message has not convinced consumers who are still wary of eating local lamb because of the Blue Tongue virus which has decimated local herds. Forty vets and experts are working on farms across the Balearics trying to combat the virus which has so far claimed 200 sheep. Forty farms have been placed in quarantine. Many farmers are facing ruin after the European Union imposed a complete export ban. Morro said that they were having a re-think about a Christmas campaign urging the public to eat more lamb. He said that one of the ideas they were considering was to launch a campaign underlining the great quality of local lamb and also informning the public of the need to support local farmers. At the moment the European Union is preparing an aid package to help sheep farmers.