EU beef and lamb production: 2022 first half overview
Excluding Greece (which makes up approximately 0.5% of monthly EU beef production), total EU beef production for the first half of 2022 was 0.7% lower year-on-year, at 3.3 million tonnes.
Looking at the top producers in the bloc, beef production levels were mixed during the first half of 2022 compared to a year ago. Production in the two largest producers was lower, with Germany down 9% (-49,000 tonnes) and France down 4% (-31,000 tonnes). Output also declined in the Netherlands and Belgium, but to lesser extents.
Elsewhere, Spain (+7%), Ireland (+8%) and Italy (+5%) grew their production levels. Polish production remained largely flat year-on-year.
Figures for sheep meat production in Greece are missing for June, only allowing for comparisons of production for the first five months of the year. Between Jan-May, total EU sheep meat production rose 1% year-on-year to approximately 182,000 tonnes. The main uplift was in Irish production, up 17% (+4,600 tonnes) year-on-year. The Irish breeding sheep flock has shown continued growth, according to the latest census results. Output also rose in Italy (+10%, +1,300 tonnes) and Spain (+1%, +500 tonnes).
Greece is one of the larger producers of sheep meat in the EU, typically making up 12% of monthly EU production. Data available for the first five months of the year showed that Greece’s production fell 6% (-1,600 tonnes) year-on-year. 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%.
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