EU beef production recorded mixed results for the first half of 2022 (H1), with the two largest producers recording lower figures year-on-year. However, EU sheep meat production increased over the same period.
Looking at EU beef, total production was 0.7% lower year-on-year for H1, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB) latest figures.
Focusing on the top beef producers, production levels were mixed during H1 compared to a year ago. Production in the two largest producers was lower, with Germany decreasing 9% and France down 4%. Output also declined in the Netherlands and Belgium, but to lesser extents.
Elsewhere, Spain grew its production levels by 7% year-on-year, as did Ireland by 8% and Italy by 5%, whereas Polish production remained largely flat over the same period.
Sheep meat
However, total EU sheep meat production rose 1% year-on-year between January and May. The main uplift according to AHDB was in Irish production, which increased 17%. It added that the Irish breeding sheep flock has recorded continued growth, according to the latest census results. Output also rose in Italy by 10% and by 1% in Spain.
Greece is one of the larger producers of sheep meat in the EU, typically making up 12% of monthly EU sheep meat production, according to AHDB. Data available for the first five months of 2022 recorded that Greece’s production fell 6% year-on-year.
AHDB red meet analyst Hannah Clarke said: "If this trend continued into June, this would translate to a lower rate of growth for the EU in total for the first half of the year. Production will have still increased year on year, although by only 0.5%.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
