Official data contradict minister’s lamb price figures

Statistics cited by Industry Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson in support of continued European Union accession talks appear to be inaccurate, mbl.is reports. The minister made the claims in a Facebook post urging voters to support the talks in tomorrow’s referendum.

Friðriksson wrote that lamb prices in shops had risen by 17 percent above inflation over the past three years since legislation exempting slaughterhouses from competition law was introduced in March 2024. She also said farmers had received 8.5 percent of that 17 percent increase.

Data published by Statistics Iceland do not support those figures. Since the changes to agricultural legislation in March 2024, the consumer price index has increased by 11.2 percent, while retail lamb prices have risen by 11.5 percent. Prices paid to farmers have increased by 12.3 percent over the same period.

Eyjólfur Ingvi Bjarnason, chairman of the sheep farmers’ division of the Farmers’ Association, said he did not understand the basis for the minister’s figures.

“I do not know which group she is appealing to. She is probably appealing more to consumers than farmers,” he told mbl.is.

He said politicians were free to do what they wanted during an election campaign, but criticised the use of what appeared to be incorrect figures.

“I would at least have liked the sources to be cited. In all the figures we try to publish on behalf of the Farmers’ Association, we try to rely on sources and make sure we have reliable documentation for what we release,” Bjarnason said.

Asked whether it was particularly problematic that the minister responsible for the policy area appeared to be using incorrect figures, he said it was not good, but added that “people seem to be doing all kinds of things” in the final days of the campaign.