Total meat production up by 0.4% in June-September 2010

Meat production increased by 0.4 per cent to 3,202 tonnes during the quarter under review. While beef and broiler meat production declined by 3.2 and 1.7 per cent respectively, there was an increase of 2.3 per cent in the production of pigmeat.

The drop in beef production resulted from the 3.7 per cent decrease in the number of slaughtered cattle, although the average carcass weight rose slightly by 0.5 per cent. The increase of 2.3 per cent in pigmeat production, was attributable to an 11.3 per cent rise in the average carcass weight, although the number of slaughtered heads fell by 1,846. Broiler meat production declined by 1.7 per cent due to a 1.5 per cent drop in the number of slaughtered broilers complemented by a marginal drop in the average carcass weight.

Producer Value
During the period under review, the producer value of animals slaughtered at licensed slaughterhouses amounted to €6.0 million, up by €0.1 million (1.2 per cent) from €5.9 million in the third quarter last year.

The producer value of beef went up by 4.1 per cent on account of an increase of 7.6 per cent in the average price per kilogram fetched on the market from €2.45 per kilogram in the third quarter of 2009, to €2.64 per kilogram in the quarter under review. The producer value of pigmeat registered an increase of 2.3 per cent due to an increase in the average carcass weight, while the average price per kilogram remained at par with the comparative period in 2009.

Reflecting the decrease in the number of slaughtered broilers and a lower average price per kilogram, the producer value of broiler meat registered a 2.2 per cent drop. The average price per kilogram fell by 0.5 per cent to 1.74 in the third quarter this year