Climate-fuelled extreme weather is becoming farmers’ “biggest challenge”, as the price of lamb continues to soar.
As millions of Europeans get ready to tuck into their lamb roast dinner this Easter, farmers have sounded the alarm over soaring prices.
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New analysis by Zero Carbon Analytics for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) found that successive climate shocks since 2022 have pushed lamb prices in the UK up by between seven and 21 per cent each time.
The research warns that for the 2.6 million British households who eat lamb regularly, this has added up to £168 (around €192.64) in extra costs over the past three years.
In mainland Europe, meat prices have also soared, with some nations seeing increases of more than 20 per cent. According to Eurostat data, overall food prices rose by 3.3 per cent last year, slightly above the bloc’s average inflation rate of 2.5 per cent.
The cost of lamb rose by a staggering 7.2 per cent, making it one of the fastest-rising food prices in Europe. Chocolate, another Easter delicacy, witnessed the biggest surge of all – as extreme weather continues to threaten the future of cocoa production.
Lamb prices are ‘through the roof’
“As families and communities sit down to celebrate this Easter, the cost of climate change is hitting home,” says Chris Jaccarini, an analyst at ECIU for land, food and farming.
“Lamb prices are through the roof after droughts, extreme heat and heavy rainfall have hit farmers’ costs of production, weakening grass growth and not allowing the depleted hay stores they depend on time to recover.”
Human-made climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and severe. This is because for every 1℃ rise in air temperature, the atmosphere can hold around seven per cent more moisture, which can lead to more intense and heavy rainfall.
The analysis found that the UK’s heavy rainfall in Winter 2023/ 2024 added an extra £5 (€5.73) to the price of a lamb roast at Easter 2024, and a further £7 (€8.03) to the price at Easter 2025.
Experts say this shows that even in a temperate, high-income country with a well-developed agricultural sector, extreme weather events can leave “surprisingly persistent price effects”.
"Here in West Wales, extreme weather is our biggest challenge,” says Jack Cockburn, a sheep farmer in Ceredigion.
“We've had two very wet winters in a row, which has meant poor grass growth due to waterlogged soils and low light levels with the very cloudy conditions. This has meant lambs going to the abattoir at lighter weights and less meat per animal.”
Should lamb be taken off the Easter menu?
Globally, food and agriculture contribute one-third of total greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the burning of fossil fuels.
In the EU, animal-sourced foods make up between 81 and 86 per cent of total GHG emissions in food production, yet only supply 21 per cent of calories and 64 per cent of protein.
Lamb in particular has been consistently identified as one of the worst culprits of environmental damage in the food sector – contributing to the very conditions that are impacting farmers.
According to the carbon footprint calculator CO2 Everything, a 100g serving of lamb is equivalent to 29.6km of driving, producing 5.84kg of CO2 equivalent.
The landmark 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission report, compiled by 70 leading experts from 35 countries, found that GHG emissions from agriculture could be slashed by 15 per cent if the world shifted to a predominantly plant-based diet. Such a move could also avoid around 15 million deaths a year, researchers revealed.
Animal welfare organisations have long criticised Europe’s appetite for lambs, which are slaughtered between four and eight months old.
Eurostat data found that last year, between March and April, a staggering 153,863 lambs were imported to Italy from the rest of Europe. These animals are subjected to lengthy journeys which can last up to 30 hours, often in cramped and confined conditions.
