Beef production in the EU falls

Beef production in the European Union fell to 6.8 million tonnes in 2020, down 1.2% from 2019. Cattle slaughter was generally slightly higher than last year until April, when production was affected by the covid-19 epidemic . Then there was a recovery in June, possibly as some catering establishments reopened and production hovered around last year's levels until the end of the year, the European Commission said in a report.

Annual changes in production affected the largest producing countries in different ways. Declines were seen in Germany, Italy and Spain, with Italy having the largest real drop of 48,000 tons (-6%). On the other hand, Ireland, together with the Netherlands, increased its beef production by 2% (14,000 tons). France reported a 0.2% increase in beef production, while Poland maintained its downward trend (-0.2%).

Despite the decline in production, exports performed well, especially in Asian markets, as well as in CANADA and the United States . Fresh and frozen beef EXPORT growth was 1.3%, which is 461,000 tons last year. 50,000 tons were sent to the UK market, the volume was unchanged from 2019. Imports fell 21% due to the impact of the CORONAVIRUS crisis, with the UK and Brazil the biggest suppliers affected by restrictions imposed on the EU single market. .