Icelanders are increasingly buying agricultural products such as lamb directly from farms.
Photo copyright Icelandic Photo Agency.
Unnsteinn Hermannsson, a farmer at Langholtskot near Flúðir, South Iceland, said there had been an explosion in sales. “We can’t keep up with the demand and interest in quality meat is constantly increasing,” he told Fréttablaðið.
Guðmundur Jón Guðmundsson, chairman of Beint frá býli, an association of farmers who sell, or intend to sell, goods directly from their farms, says the development is positive. “The quantity of products that are coming on to the market is growing and the number of jobs which are created is also growing.”
According to Guðmundur, the number of members in Beint frá býli has been around 100 for the past few years but more are now producing and selling goods directly to the public.
Guðmundur said it is difficult to say with certainty whether sales have increased because the association does not keep information on sales, “… but my understanding is that it keeps improving and some have experienced a significant increase,” he commented.
Lamb is the most popular product but beef is also in demand. Farms also sell ice cream, <i>skyr<p> and other dairy products as well as horse meat and eggs.
ZR
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