Meat production, value decline

Total meat production and producer value decreased by 12.3 percent and 4.2 per cent respectively during the third quarter of 2009, the NSO said today.

It said that meat production in the third quarter of 2009 decreased to 3,190 tonnes. Although pigmeat and broiler-meat production declined by 18.2 and 4.7 per cent respectively, there was a
slight increase of 1.0 per cent in the production of beef meat.

The increase in beef meat production resulted from the 12.4 per cent increase in the number of cattle slaughtered, although the average carcass weight declined by 10.1 per cent. The decrease in the carcass weight of pigs was brought about by a 15.2 per cent drop in the number of pigs slaughtered, complemented with a 3.6 per cent decline in the average carcass weight.

Broiler meat production declined on account of an 11.1 per cent drop in the number of broilers slaughtered, although the average carcass weight rose by 7.2 per cent over the corresponding period in 2008.

During the period under review, the producer value of animals slaughtered at licensed slaughterhouses amounted to €5.89 million, a decrease of €0.26 million, when compared to the previous year.

The producer value of slaughtered cattle decreased by 5.1 per cent on account of lower prices fetched on the market, from an average of €2.61 per kilogram in the third quarter of 2008 to €2.45 per kilogram in the quarter under review.

The producer value of pigs declined by 9.4 per cent due to a decrease in the number of pigs slaughtered although the average price per kilogram increased. The producer value of broiler meat production increased by 7.2 per cent.

This was mainly due to an increase of 12.2 per cent in the average price per kilogram fetched on the market, from €1.56 in 2008 to €1.75 in 2009.