March 18, 2011

Latvia's 2010 meat output falls, eggs, milk rise

Latvia's meat output declined last year with 79,700 tonnes, down 4% from 2009, whereas egg and milk production were on the rise, according to preliminary data.

According to the statistics office, Latvia had a 10% decline in beef production, and 4.3% decline for pork. Last year, Latvia produced 18,400 tonnes of beef, 37,200 tonnes of pork. Beef and pork made 70% of all meat output.

Production of poultry and mutton rose by 1.4% and 0.5%, respectively.

The statistics office said that meat production last year was influenced by increase in export of live pigs -by 59% from 2009. The average purchase price of meat declined from LVL1,055 (EUR1,501; US$2,112.58) per tonne in 2009 to LVL1,033 (US$2,059.53) per tonne in 2010 or by 2.1%. Pork prices dropped 6.6%, while price of beef and mutton rose by 2.1% and 2.3%, respectively.

The statistics office said that last year the average yield per cow reached 4,998 kilogrammes, which is by 106 kilogrammes or 2.2% more than in 2009. In 2010 Latvia made by 157,000 kilogrammes or 5% more goat milk.

Last year dairy companies purchased 625,200 tonnes of milk, up 5% from 2009.

Milk purchase price last year rose from LVL129.23 (US$257.65) per tonne in 2009 to LVL177.82 (US$354.53) per tonne or by 37.6%, reaching its peak in December 2010-LVL196.23 (US$391.23) per tonne. The growth of milk price was influenced by the situation in the world market-growing grain and fuel prices, said the statistics office.

In 2010, as many as 714.9 million eggs were made in Latvia, up 4.9% on-year. An average yield was 274 eggs per hen or by 0.7% more from 2009. The average egg price declined from LVL4.75 (US$9.47) per 100 eggs in 2009 to LVL4.28 (US$8.53) per 100 eggs in 2010 or by 9.9%.