November 4, 2014

Spain's beef sector seeks to beef up exports and domestic consumption

In the face of falling domestic beef consumption, Spain's beef and cattle organisations have joined forces to boost domestic sales as well as find new export markets.

In the last eight years beef consumption has fallen by 10.7% although beef and livestock exports have grown by 11%.

Data showed that Spain produced 582,000 tonnes of beef in 2013, of which 126,160 tonnes were exported. Spain also imported 105,360 tonnes of beef. It has 406,000 head of cattle.

The main cattle and meat associations including the National Association of Meat Industries (Anice) and the Cattle Finishers Association (Asoprovac) will launch a communication campaign aimed at boosting domestic consumption.

At the same time, efforts will be made to open new markets both for beef and livestock which, they said, have great potential.

The Spanish Department of Agriculture's general secretary, Carlos Cabanas, said there was a need to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the Spanish beef industry as he stressed the importance of the beef sector.