As reported by the Polish Meat Association, over the last seven years, total meat production in Germany has decreased by nearly 20%. The largest declines concern the pork production sector.
According to the Polish Meat Association, the latest data from the German statistical office (Destatis) indicate that compared to 2016, meat production in our western neighbors decreased by almost 20%. The largest decline was recorded in 2022, when compared to 2021, the reduction was 8.1%. In 2023, meat production in Germany reached 6.76 million tons, 4 percent less than the year before.
Pork production is declining
According to data from Destatis, last year the number of pigs slaughtered in Germany reached 43.8 million, i.e. 7 percent. less than in 2022. The reason for the latest decline was the lower supply of pigs bred in the country for slaughter, which at 42.34 million was 3.53 million, or 7.7 percent. smaller than in 2022.
As the authors of the commentary add, it should be noted that the slaughter of pigs from abroad increased by 242,000. pieces, to 1.48 million pieces, which means an increase of almost 20 percent. With an increase in slaughter weight of 150 grams to an average of 95.4 kilograms, German pork production fell by 6.8% to 4.18 million tonnes. This is the lowest amount in 21 years. According to analysts, this year will be a year of population stabilization and a sharp decline in production should not be expected in the coming months.
Beef and poultry production is increasing
The situation of beef is slightly better, production of which increased by 5,500 tons to 992.9 thousand. tons more than in 2022 (y/y increase of approx. 0.6%). This is the first increase in this category in seven years. The largest relative increase in meat production in 2023 was recorded in poultry farming. According to Destatis, total production amounted to 1.56 million tons and was higher than the result from the previous year by 22.2 thousand tons. tons, which means an increase of 1.4%.
Production is also falling in the Czech Republic
According to ZPM, meat production is also decreasing in our southern neighbor. According to the Czech Statistical Office, in the entire year 2023, meat production decreased by 2.6%. The largest decline was in pork production by 5.2%. About 1.3 percent The production of poultry meat also decreased and amounted to approximately 168 thousand. tons, while beef production increased slightly (by 2.4%).
“Although meat production halted a two-year decline in the last quarter, the annual figure is at its lowest. Since 2000, pork production has been reduced by half, beef production by one third and poultry production by 15 percent.” – explained Renata Vodičková, head of the Agriculture and Forestry Statistics Service CZSO, summarizing the multi-year data.
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