Meat production down 4.7% in second quarter 2010

During the second quarter, meat production declined by 4.7% to 3,279 tonnes. This was brought about by drops in the production of beef and broilermeat which fell by 10.0 and 12.2% respectively.

The declines in beef and broilermeat production were due to lower numbers of slaughtered cattle and broilers, by 8.2 and 9.0% respectively. A drop of 3.4% in the average broiler carcass weight was also recorded. With regard to pigmeat production, this increased by 1.6% on account of a higher average carcass weight, although the number of slaughtered headsfell by 884.

The producer value of animals slaughtered at licensed slaughterhouses in the period under review amounted to €6.1 million, €0.2 million less (-3.9%) when compared to the corresponding quarter last year.

Reflecting a decrease in the number of slaughtered cattle and a lower average price per kilogram, the producer value of beef decreased by 12.8%. The average price per kilogram fetched on the market registered a drop of 3.1%, from €2.51 per kilogram in 2009 to €2.43 in the second quarter this year.

In contrast, the producer value of pigmeat rose by 1.6% in spite of a 4.1% drop in the number of slaughtered pigs. The average price per kilogram remained at par with the comparative period in 2009. An 8.2% drop in the producer value of broilermeat resulted from lower numbers of slaughtered broilers. However, the average price per kilogram went up from €1.70 in the second quarter of 2009 to €1.78 in the corresponding quarter this year.