During the first quarter of 2011, total meat production declined by 0.9 per cent, while the producer value went up by 1.9 per cent when compared to the corresponding quarter last year.

Meat production in the first quarter amounted to 3,176 tonnes, a drop of 0.9 per cent over the comparative period last year. An increase of 4.9 per cent in the production of pigmeat was mitigated by declines of 24.4 and 0.5 per cent in the production of beef and broilermeat respectively.

The decrease in beef production resulted from a 31.0 per cent drop in the number of slaughtered cattle. In contrast, the number of slaughtered pigs increased by 257 heads, resulting in higher production of pigmeat. In spite of a rise of 6.8 per cent in the average broiler carcass weight, broilermeat production declined by 0.5 per cent as a result of a 6.8 per cent drop in the number of slaughtered broilers.

The producer value of animals slaughtered at licensed slaughterhouses in the period under review amounted to €6.0 million, €0.1 million or 1.9 per cent more than the corresponding period in 2010.

The producer value of beef decreased by 9.8 per cent on account of a drop in the number of slaughtered cattle. The average price per kilogram fetched on the market went up by 19.0 per cent from €2.31 per kilogram in 2010 to €2.75 in 2011. On the other hand, the producer value of pigmeat went up by 4.9 per cent due to a higher number of slaughtered pigs, while the average price per kilogram remained at par with the comparative period in 2010. An increase of 3.5 per cent in the producer value of broilermeat was attributable to a 4.0 per cent rise in the average price per kilogram fetched on the market, from €1.75 in 2010 to €1.82 in 2011.

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