Rising meat prices make Romanian farmers slaughter 20% more cows and pigs

Autor: Gabriel Razi 26.04.2011

The rising levels of cow and pig slaughtering in the first two months of this year, by 10-20%, might indicate agriculture growth in the first quarter. In 2010, agriculture declined by 0.9% in the first quarter against the same period of 2009. In 2009, the decline in the same period revolved around 25%.

Preliminary data show that the livestock raising field registered increases of as much as 25% in the first two months of this year, a trend that can offer signs about the development of agriculture.

The most important increase in the first months of this year was registered in the level of slaughtered cattle. In the first two months of this year, 136,000 cattle were slaughtered, up 25% from the same period of last year, according to National Statistics Institute data.

Increases were also posted in the pork industry, where the number of slaughtered swine rose by 17%.

The positive trends can be accounted for by the rising meat prices internationally. International beef prices were 35% higher in late February against a year ago, according to IMF data. Pork prices rose by 14%, sheep prices went up by 7%, while chicken prices climbed by 3%.