Romanians prefer to have lamb on the Easter table, but this year prices will increase by 15% compared to 2023.
It is important to pay attention to the price of lamb in 2024 and the relevant aspects when we buy it from the shops.
How much will lamb cost for Easter 2024
Unfortunately, the price increase does not stop this year either, and the Easter meal could become more expensive compared to previous years, especially since farmers have started to announce price increases for lamb.
Although there are more than two months until the Easter holiday, farms in Romania are already preparing for this event, and with the appearance of the lambs come the price increases.
Easter is later in the calendar this year, which will also affect lamb prices, putting pressure on family budgets.
The price of live lamb has already increased by up to 15% compared to the same period last year, and is forecast to continue to grow before Easter. Compared to last year, when a kilogram of live lamb was sold for about 20 lei, the price has increased significantly.
This price increase will be felt even more intensely during the festive period, when the traditional consumption of lamb is on the rise.
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This year, Easter, which falls on May 5, brings bigger and heavier lambs, which will inevitably lead to an even more pronounced increase in prices.
It is predicted that the price of a lamb over 35 kilograms will be between 18 and 20 lei per kilogram of meat, thus reaching approximately 700 lei per head of lamb.
This situation directly affects low-income families, who will find it difficult to afford to observe this tradition.
At a sheep farm in Botoșani county, the lambs have already reached between 7 and 8 kilograms, and despite the increase in prices, the locals say that they are not ready to give up the tradition of eating lamb for Easter, according to agrointel.ro
However, shelf prices will be even higher. Last year, the price of a kilogram of lamb reached 65 lei, compared to 35 lei a year ago. This is a significant burden for many consumers.
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Currently, only lamb and mutton products are available in major supermarket chains, and these alternatives may seem less accessible to certain budgets.
For some, the financial sacrifice may be motivated by the cultural and spiritual importance of this holiday. However, for others, managing rising prices can be a real challenge, and some families will need to explore alternatives to keep the tradition going without pushing the limits of their tight budgets.
Romania ranks as the second largest producer of sheep meat in the European Union, holding a market share of 17%, with a number of 6.3 million slaughtered heads. However, Estonia takes the leading position in this category.
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[Sursa: freepik]
What to look out for when buying lamb
When you want to buy lamb, you must be very careful about:
– Purchase meat only from premises and units authorized by the sanitary and veterinary authorities
– The lamb casserole must be intact
– Lamb meat, including the organs, must be checked, more precisely it must have a veterinary health certificate and bear the health mark
– The lamb carcass still retains its elasticity and pinkish color (on the surface), being covered with a light layer of white fat, dry and crumbly.
– Tendons and joints are hard and shiny
– The eyes, just like fish meat, must be bright and clear, as for the teeth, in general, sheep do not have incisors on the upper jaw, but only on the lower.
