A trebling in the price farmers received for lamb did not necessarily translate into a similar increase in retail prices.
Federated Farmers yesterday launched a campaign to lift returns for farmers to $150 a lamb within five years, but say that would be achieved by lots of incremental gains along the value chain and not simply lifting the price to consumers.
But the country's largest meat processor and exporter warns that any goal has to be relevant and calculated.
Silver Fern Farms chief executive Keith Cooper said in an interview he would like lamb to be worth more, but it had to be what the market was prepared and able to pay.
Such figures had no foundation and Mr Cooper said it was irresponsible to do so.
It was not known whether the global financial crisis would impact on demand and people's ability to buy high value protein.
One impact could be on exchange rates, which had a direct impact.
"No-one is thinking about what the flow-on impact could be from this financial crisis."
The federation's meat and fibre chairman Bruce Wills said it was a realistic and achievable goal which was needed to rebuild hope and confidence in the sheep industry.
It could be achieved by the "entire industry" contributing a small bit, and letters had been sent to meat companies, Meat and Wool New Zealand and wool exporters seeking their support and contribution towards the $150 a lamb target, he said.
Farmers received less than 20% of the final retail price, but efficiency gains along the whole supply chain plus securing more of that final retail price would allow them to meet their target.
Increasing the weight of lambs supplied from an average of 16kg to 20kg would also help.
Mr Wills did not want to lose the momentum that had been created in the past year as the industry debated its structure and future.
"We need to continue the talk about consolidation, efficiency gains, robotics, far more focus on marketing and building long-term relationships, rather than procurement."
Meat companies have signalled lamb could be worth $80-$90 this year, and Mr Wills said those brighter prospects could see farmers relaxing their push for change, returning the industry to a boom and bust cycle.
He said farmers needed to do their bit, produce heavier lambs, broaden the selling season, establish long-term relationships with meat companies and end the Sunday night auction where farmers held out selling for the sake of a few cents.
"What is good for us is good for rural communities, meat companies, truckies, freezing workers, livestock agents and the New Zealand economy."
