SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 4 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The consumption of local meat in Tenerife reached 4,162,653 kilos in 2022, which represents a decrease of 2.5 percent compared to 2021, when a total of 4,272,702 kilos were recorded, as reported by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Javier Parrilla.
However, last year closed with an increase of 17 percent in the consumption of beef (1,236,196 kilos), 30 percent in the consumption of goat meat (76,868 kilos) and 94 percent in that of sheep (32,036 kilos) motivated, among other factors, by the increase in demand and the high competitiveness of the country’s meats.
In this regard, the island official pointed out that of the 76,868 kilos of goat production, 16,887 were kid meat, which represents more than 20 percent of the total; while of the 32,026 kilos of sheep produced, 13,660 corresponded to lamb (42.6%).
“The upturn in the consumption of local goat and sheep meat not only responds to the increase in demand by citizens and large marketers, but also to the increase in Kosher establishments and butcher shops, which do not consume pork or beef,” he explained. Javier Parrilla.
“In addition, in the case of the sheep and cattle sectors, it is important to highlight that new farms have been created, boosting the island’s supply and responding to growing demand,” added the counselor.
Globally, the slight decrease in meat consumption on the island responds to the reduction in pork production (-10%) and the drop in rabbit meat consumption (-3.8%).
The island councilor stressed, however, that compared to 2019, meat consumption has increased by almost 8 percent (from 3,881,403 to 4,162,653 kilos), “and all this despite the fact that we are going through a very complicated world scenario, with a panorama marked by the Covid-19 health crisis and the inflation of food, fuel and energy as a consequence of the war in Ukraine”, he remarked.
The island manager also stressed that the large marketers “are betting on the acquisition of fresh meat from the island, not only because of its quality, continuity and freshness, but because currently local goat and beef meats are better valued and are very competitive.”
