DALES farmers are celebrating after winning two orders for light lambs from Greece.

A key agent from the Greek meat trade visited Dales Quality Meat in Wensleydale in early August and last week the company received an order for 300 light lamb carcases, weighing 14kg or less, which were despatched by trailer on Wednesday of last week.

The company, which works with Hawes mart and the local McIntyre Meats abattoir near Bainbridge, hoped it would lead to further orders - but even they were surprised when they received a call on Monday asking for a further 300 to be sent just 48 hours later.

The first order resulted from a Nuffield Scholarship visit to Greece by North Yorkshire farmer David Hugill, of Scugdale near Swainby, who is vic- chairman of the North Riding and Durham County NFU.

He suggested that Basil Garoufalidis, the Greek agent, should visit Wensleydale and North Yorkshire to see what livestock was on offer.

Liz Hird, sales director for Dales Quality Meat, said the Greek market was very competitive and difficult to penetrate, but she believes they were given the opportunity to supply the trade because the company proposed to dress the carcases to Greek specification.

"It would seem that no other English company has been prepared to offer this service," she said, "We are the first."

When the buyer visited Wensleydale, he was particularly impressed with the high standard of dressing at McIntyre's abattoir, which Dales Quality Meat uses to slaughter and process its livestock.

"Although the abattoir has played a key role in dressing the carcases for the Greek market, our company is very much about teamwork," said Liz Hird. "All parties within the triple alliance of producer group members/Hawes auction mart, the local abattoir and ourselves have worked very hard to make this order happen.

"We are confident that, once the Greeks can see what we are capable of, it will only be a matter of time before regular trade is established."

Mr Hugill spotted an opening for premium lamb while in Athens on his Nuffield Scholarship last year. He spent months creating interest and coming up with funding for the three-day visit, which included McIntyre's abattoir as well as Machin's and the auction mart at Thirsk, the North York Moors National Park, Stockton meat market, Cleveland Wholesale Meat Company and groups of farmers.

Mr Garoufalidis was also accompanied by Irene Watson, Athens-based British Meat representative.