Karoo sheep farmers can finally rejoice as their long-awaited battle for geographical indication (GI) status for Karoo lamb has been won, as confirmed by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development on 27 October 2023. This registration of the GI status of Karoo Lamb/ Karoo Lam as a South African Geographical Indication was done in terms of the “Regulations relating to the protection of Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin used on Agricultural Products intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa”. This momentous achievement marks a new era for the Karoo lamb industry, one that promises to usher in a period of potential growth and prosperity.
For those unfamiliar with GIs, they are labels that attest to a product’s regional authenticity and safeguard it from imitations originating outside the designated region. The term GIs identifies an agricultural product as originating in a specific region or place or, in exceptional cases, a specific country. The product’s specific qualities or other characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to its geographical origin and of which at least one of the production steps takes place in the defined geographical area. In this case, Karoo Lamb/Karoo Lam means “all meat cuts from lamb produced under free-range conditions and slaughtered in the geographical area as defined herein”. Only lamb born, raised, and slaughtered in the geographical area as defined qualifies as this product.
Animals originating from feed lots (as opposed to free-range grazing) in the Karoo do not qualify for the use of the registered Karoo Lamb/Karoo Lam GI. Similarly, animals reared on cultivated or planted pastures do not qualify for the use of this GI. The use of routine antibiotics and the application of any hormones, growth promoters and/or stimulants is not allowed. No animal by-products are allowed in supplementary feeds.
Karoo Lamb meat has particular aromatic and sensory characteristics, which it derives from the geographical area. It has been established that the grazing plants from the Karoo region, as defined, impart herbal and musty flavor attributes to meat from sheep breeds of this region. Karoo lamb is renowned for its distinctive flavor and tenderness, attributed to the region’s unique climate, vegetation, and farming practices, free of hormones and antibiotics. This exclusive right to use the name “Karoo lamb” gives South African sheep farmers a significant competitive advantage in the global lamb market that previously benefited from the product’s unique brand reputation influenced by South Africa’s agricultural mastery.
In recent years, South African lamb exports have experienced significant growth, with volume and value increasing by over 2,20 million kilograms and R275,71 million, respectively, over the past four years. The main export markets for South African lamb are Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, which accounted for over 93% of total exports in the first eight months of 2023.
The GI status for Karoo lamb is poised to accelerate this growth trajectory further. With its unique brand reputation and GI protection, Karoo lamb is well-positioned to capture a larger share of the global lamb market. This will undoubtedly benefit sheep farmers by creating an opportunity for them to command more competitive prices and incentivise the industry’s overall growth. The potential increase in industry size could contribute to job creation and enable farmers to maximise productivity to meet the growing global demand for this product.
In addition to the economic benefits, the GI status for Karoo lamb also has significant cultural and social implications. Karoo lamb is a celebrated part of South African cuisine and culture, and the GI status will help to elevate its status as a premium product further. This development is a testament to the resilience and dedication of Karoo sheep farmers, and it represents a new era of opportunity for the industry.