Caution urged around growth in Welsh poultry sector despite strong demand/Rhybudd ynghylch twf y sector dofednod yng Nghymru er gwaethaf y galw cryf

Wales’ egg and poultry meat producers have a strong future with market trends pointing towards strengthening consumption year on year, according to an industry analyst.

 Consumer demand for eggs and poultry meat have risen steadily over the past 10 years, Nathan Ward told farmers attending the inaugural Wales Pig and Poultry Event in Welshpool.

 This was the result of consumers choosing to include more protein in their diets, with growth largely driven by chicken, said Mr Ward, of market research company Kantar.

 “People are buying more chicken than ever before. Eighty per cent of all growth in protein sales last year was driven by chicken, it is becoming a big part of the repertoire of the food people are choosing to buy.’’

 For the organic poultry sector, growth had not been as strong as it had been in the conventional market, said Mr Ward.

 Although sales of organic chicken had grown by 65% in the last five years, within the poultry meat sector overall this is only equivalent to 1.3% of volume growth, he explained.

For egg producers attending the joint Farming Connect and Menter Moch Cymru event, Mr Ward had good news because data had shown that free-range egg consumption had risen by 5-6% a year for the past four or five years. Forecasts suggest demand will continue to grow. 

“As a nation we love eggs, people want foods that are a quick, easy fix and eggs deliver that,’’ said Mr Ward.

 “Chicken and eggs are winning the battle on how they are used, they have a great story to tell. There are a lot of positive things going for the future of eggs and poultry.’’

 But increasing supply is a source of concern for some.

Richard Jones, who produces eggs near Newtown, said diversification into egg production had been the wrong decision for some due to oversupply which had pushed down prices in the free range egg sector.

“A lot of people have come in and found it is not working for them because there is an over-supply,’’ he told the conference.

Farming Connect Technical Manager Dewi Hughes said that knowledge transfer events and a system of advice delivered through Farming Connect, including support to prepare a business plan, allowed farmers to make informed decisions on diversification into this sector.

There are currently 714 poultry farmers and 321 poultry businesses registered with Farming Connect.

 With the theme of the conference being ‘Future-proofing your business’, Mr Ward emphasised the need for producers in all sectors to understand the requirements of their buyers, such as current demand for large eggs.

He said a reason for this demand was that eggs are being used more for main meals.

 “As producers you have to work with retailers to understand the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’,’’ he advised.

Mr Hughes highlighted the value of having a strong brand and the need to be aware of any opportunities for eggs and poultry produced in Wales to capitalise on provenance through the ‘Welsh story’.

“Perhaps there is an opportunity to develop a Welsh brand and tap into the premium market,’’ he said.

Mr Ward said provenance in combination with the right product does drive value but he emphasised the need for a co-ordinated approach in targeting the right markets.

Farming Connect, which is delivered by Menter a Busnes and Lantra, is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Welsh Government.

Rhybudd ynghylch twf y sector dofednod yng Nghymru er gwaethaf y galw cryf

Mae dyfodol cadarn i gynhyrchwyr wyau a chig dofednod Cymru, wrth i’r tueddiadau yn y farchnad adlewyrchu’r ffaith bod y galw yn cynyddu o flwyddyn i flwyddyn yn ôl dadansoddwr y farchnad.

Mae’r galw am wyau a chig dofednod gan ddefnyddwyr wedi codi’n gyson dros y 10 mlynedd ddiwethaf, dywedodd Nathan Ward wrth ffermwyr a fynychodd y Digwyddiad Moch a Dofednod cyntaf i Gymru a gynhaliwyd yn Y Trallwng.

Mae hyn o ganlyniad i’r ffaith bod defnyddwyr yn dewis cynnwys mwy o brotein yn eu diet, a gwelir y twf mwyaf mewn cyw iâr, dywedodd Mr Ward o gwmni ymchwil y farchnad Kantar.

“Mae pobl yn prynu mwy o gyw iâr nag erioed o’r blaen.  Y llynedd, gyrrwyd wyth deg y cant o’r holl dwf mewn gwerthiant protein gan gyw iâr, ac mae’n dod yn rhan fawr o’r repertoire bwyd y mae pobl yn dewis ei brynu.”

I’r sector dofednod organig, ni fu’r twf mor gryf ag y bu yn y farchnad gonfensiynol, dywedodd Mr Ward.

Er bod gwerthiant cyw iâr organig wedi tyfu 65% dros y bum mlynedd ddiwethaf, dim ond 1.3% yn unig o gyfanswm y twf o fewn y sector cig dofednod y mae hyn yn ei gynrychioli, esboniodd.

I gynhyrchwyr wyau a oedd yn mynychu’r digwyddiad a gynhaliwyd ar y cyd rhwng Cyswllt Ffermio a Menter Moch Cymru, roedd gan Mr Ward newyddion da gan bod data wedi dangos bod ffigurau prynu wyau maes wedi codi 5-6% y flwyddyn dros y bedair neu’r pum mlynedd ddiwethaf.  Mae’r rhagolygon yn awgrymu y bydd y galw yn parhau i gynyddu.

“Fel cenedl, rydym yn dwli ar wyau, mae pobl yn dymuno cael bwyd y gellir ei goginio yn gyflym ac yn hawdd ac mae wyau yn cynnig hynny iddynt,” dywedodd Mr Ward.

“Mae cyw iâr a wyau yn ennill y frwydr o ran y ffordd y cânt eu defnyddio, mae ganddynt stori wych i’w hadrodd.  Mae nifer fawr o bethau cadarnhaol yn y dyfodol ar gyfer wyau a dofednod.”

Ond mae’r ffaith bod y cyflenwad yn cynyddu yn peri pryder i rai.

Dywedodd Richard Jones, sy’n cynhyrchu wyau ger Y Drenewydd, mai’r penderfyniad anghywir fu arallgyfeirio i faes cynhyrchu wyau i rai, gan bod gorgyflenwad wedi lleihau’r prisiau yn y sector wyau maes.

“Mae nifer fawr o bobl wedi dod i mewn a darganfod nad yw’n rhywbeth sy’n gweithio iddyn nhw oherwydd y ceir gorgyflenwad,” dywedodd wrth y gynhadledd.

Dywedodd Rheolwr Technegol Cyswllt Ffermio, Dewi Hughes, bod digwyddiad trosglwyddo gwybodaeth a system gynghori a ddarparir trwy gyfrwng Cyswllt Ffermio, gan gynnwys cymorth er mwyn creu cynllun busnes, wedi caniatáu i ffermwyr wneud penderfyniadau gwybodus ynghylch arallgyfeirio i’r sector hwn.

Ar hyn o bryd, mae 714 o ffermwyr dofednod a 321 o fusnesau dofednod wedi cofrestru gyda Cyswllt Ffermio.

Thema’r gynhadledd oedd ‘Diogelu eich busnes at y dyfodol’ a phwysleisiodd Mr Ward yr angen i gynhyrchwyr ym mhob sector ddeall gofynion eu prynwyr, megis y galw presennol am wyau mawr.

Dywedodd mai un rheswm am y galw hwn yw bod wyau’n cael eu defnyddio fwyfwy mewn prif brydau.

“Fel cynhyrchwyr, rhaid i chi weithio gyda manwerthwyr er mwyn deall y ‘pam’ sy’n sail i’r ‘beth’,” cynghorodd.

Awgrymodd Mr Hughes y gallai fod cyfleoedd i wyau a dofednod a gynhyrchir yng Nghymru i fanteisio ar yr elfen frodorol trwy gyfrwng y ‘stori Gymreig’.

“Efallai bod cyfle i ddatblygu brand Cymreig a manteisio ar y farchnad uwch,” dywedodd.

Dywedodd Mr Ward bod cyfuniad o’r elfen frodorol a’r cynnyrch cywir yn ysgogi gwerth, ond pwysleisiodd yr angen am ddull gweithredu wedi’i gydlynu er mwyn targedu’r marchnadoedd cywir.

Mae Cyswllt Ffermio, sy’n cael ei ddarparu gan Menter a Busnes a Lantra, yn cael ei ariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Chronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig.