Meat production up 10 per cent

Meat production increased by 10.1 per cent between July and September over the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Office.

The NSO said this was mainly due to an increase of 7.7 per cent in cattle slaughtering, nine per cent in pigs and 20.7 per cent in broilers. Moreover, beef, pork and broiler meat production rose by 5.8, 5.6 and 22.1 per cent respectively.

On the other hand, the average carcass weight of cattle and pigs decreased by 1.8 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively, while that of broilers increased by 1.2 per cent.

During the same quarter, the value of meat rose by 11.7 per cent over the third quarter last year. While the value of pork rose by nine per cent and that of broiler by 36.3 per cent, the value of beef fell by 8.5 per cent.

In a statement issued later in the day, the Rural Affairs Ministry for Resources attributed the rise in meat production to the government's restructuring.