South Africa’s famous and sought-after Karoo Lamb has been registered for protection under Geographical Indication status.
Meat cuts from young sheep produced under free-range conditions in the Karoo will be able to claim the name Karoo Lamb, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development said in the Government Gazette on Friday.
The meat has very specific aromatic and sensory attributes, which can be directly attributed to the herbaceous plants that grow naturally in the area.
The registration will give Karoo Lamb the same protection as products such as Parma ham and Champagne that are produced in a specific geographical area, according to Charles Erasmus, executive manager at the Karoo Lamb Consortium, a non-profit organisation that has worked to collect empirical evidence and scientific confirmation of the link between the meat and the Karoo region.
Ultimately, it will be possible to market and sell Karoo Lamb at a premium compared to other lamb meat products. The next step was for South Africa’s government to submit the registration for protection in the European Union, said Johann Kirsten, director of the Stellenbosch-based Bureau for Economic Research.
"This is an amazing day for South Africa," said Kirsten, who has spearheaded the process on behalf of the industry for more than a decade. Source: News24
