MaltaMedia.com

The total meat production and the producer value rose by 10.1 per cent and 11.7 per cent respectively during the third quarter of 2008, as revealed by the NSO.

Meat production increased by 334 tonnes (+10.1 per cent) during the quarter under review; This increase was the result of higher slaughtering of cattle, pigs and broilers.

Furthermore, beef, pig-meat and broiler-meat production rose by 5.8, 5.6 and 22.1 per cent respectively.

During the period under review, the producer value of animals slaughtered at licensed slaughterhouses amounted to €6.1 million, up by €0.6 million (+11.7 per cent) from €5.5 million in the third quarter last year.

The producer value of slaughtered cattle dropped by 8.5 per cent on account of lower prices fetched on the market, from an average of €3.02 per kilogram in the third quarter of 2007 to €2.61 per kilogram in the quarter under review.

The producer value of pigs rose on account of a 9.0 per cent increase in the number of pigs slaughtered, aided by an increase in the average price per kilogram by 2.5 per cent to €1.61 per kilogram.

The producer value of broiler meat registered an increase of 36.3 per cent on account of an increase in the number of broilers slaughtered complimented by an increase in the average price per kilogram carcass, from €1.40 in the third quarter of 2007 to €1.56 in the quarter under review.