An exporter of Icelandic lamb meat has confirmed that whale hunting has probably been a factor in flatlining sales.
Bændablaðið reports that while it was projected that 250 tonnes of Icelandic lamb meat would sold this year, only 200 tonnes were sold; the same as the year previous. The reason might have something to do with whale hunting.
Magnús Freyr Jónsson, the managing director of meat exporter SKVH, told reporters that the Whole Foods chain had been pressured to stop selling Icelandic products altogether, on account of Iceland’s continued practice of whale hunting. In the end, a compromise was reached.
“In 2009, when whale hunting was started again, we made a deal with Whole Foods that they would continue to sell Icelandic lamb meat, they just wouldn’t market it,” Magnús told reporters. “Then came more pressure on the company to stop all business with us. They didn’t do that, but they stopped advertising our products.”
SKVH is expected to meet with Whole Foods again next month, where it is expected that whale hunting will again be a matter of contention.
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