During the second quarter, meat production declined by 4.7 per cent 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 per cent respectively.
The declines in beef and broilermeat production were due to lower numbers of slaughtered cattle and broilers, by 8.2 and 9.0 per cent respectively. A drop of 3.4 per cent in the average broiler carcass weight was also recorded. With regard to pigmeat production, this increased by 1.6 per cent on account of a higher average carcass weight, although the number of slaughtered heads fell by 884.
Producer Value
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 per cent) 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 per cent. The average price per kilogram fetched on the market registered a drop of 3.1 per cent, 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 per cent in spite of a 4.1 per cent drop in the number of slaughtered pigs. The average price per kilogram remained at par with the comparative period in 2009. An 8.2 per cent 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.