February 15, 2007

EU highly optimistic on poultry consumption growth in the EU

Growth is expected in the poultry meat and egg industry of the EU until the year 2013, according to a report from the European Commission.

Poultry meat production is expected to rise more than 7 percent from last year's estimate of 11.081 million tonnes to 11.86 tonnes in 2013 . Growth for the original EU-15 countries is predicted to be slightly below this figure, while an 11.6 percent increase is expected for EU-10, the ten countries that joined in 2004.

However, poultry production will decline by 4.4 percent in the newest member states  Bulgaria and Romania (EU-2).

Overall poultry meat consumption is estimated to rise by over six percent from 22.5 to 23.9kg/head. In Bulgaria and Romania, it is expected to rise 15 percent while in the EU-10 it is expected to rise 9 percent. A more modest 5-percent increase in meat consumption is expected in the EU-15.

Although poultry meat consumption, at 23.9 kg, had the biggest increase, it will still remain behind that of pork consumption, which is at 43.0 kg.

Pork consumption is increasing slowly, at less than two percent over the period, while the other main meat categories will continue to decline in popularity.

The decline for beef and veal, at 17.1 kg, will continue and so will the decline in consumption for sheep and goat, at 2.7 kg.

Egg production is projected to rise 10 percent from from 6.4 million tonnes in 2006 to 7.1 million tonnes in 2013. Only the EU-15 countries will experience any increase, whereas output for EU-10 and EU-2 will remain flat.

Per capita egg consumption is predicted to rise by nine percent from 13.8kg/head in 2006 to 15.1kg in 2013, with steady increases foreseen in all three areas.