It’s official: Maltese are highest consumers of rabbit in Europe

The Maltese consume annually over three kilograms of rabbit each, according to a report issued by the European Commission’s Food and Veterinary Services.

This makes rabbit consumption in Malta higher than anywhere else in Europe.

The runners-up are inhabitants of Spain and Portugal who consume between one kilogram and 1.5 kilograms a year followed by the French and Italians (0.5 kilogram to one kilogram) and the Belgians and Germans (0.1 kilogram to 0.5 kilogram).

Rabbit consumption is of less than 0.1 kilogram per person in all other EU member states.

A total of 550,000 rabbits were slaughtered in Malta in 2016. Of these 500,000 were sourced from backyard farms while 50,000 were sourced by commercial establishments with approved slaughter houses.

While in the whole European Union 66% of all slaughtered rabbits were sourced from approved slaughter houses, in Malta 91% are sourced from backyard farms.

Despite the island’s small size more rabbits were slaughtered in Malta than in 17 other EU countries.

For example in the UK 100,000 rabbits were slaughtered, a fifth of the amount killed in Malta.

The report refers to a “continuous decline” in the consumption of rabbit meat in the EU which is linked to changes in consumer habits towards convenience foods and the increased perception of the rabbit as pets. But consumption may be picking up among some consumers due to health and sustainability concerns.

In 2011 the Maltese government had agreed with the European Commission that producers can still slaughter their rabbits on their premises if they hold less than 50 female breeding rabbits (does). On the other hand, rabbits in farms with more than 50 does have to slaughter rabbits in approved slaughterhouses which conform to EU animal welfare standards.