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E-mail: agaccounts@cso.ie Viacheslav Voronovich (+353) 21 4535164 Beryl Cronin (+353) 21 4535333
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-8723
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Meat Supply Balance

2017

SupplyExportsDomestic uses
'000 tonnes (carcass weight equivalent)
20151,306907398
20161,367948419
20171,4301,019411

Total supply of meat increased by 4.6% in 2017.

Meat Supply Balance 2017 Figure 1
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The total supply of meat in Ireland reached 1,430,120 tonnes in 2017, an increase of 63,171 tonnes or 4.6% in comparison to 2016.

Livestock slaughterings increased by 4.9% to reach 1,130,535 tonnes, while imports of meat and meat products amounted to 299,585 tonnes, an increase of 3.5%.

71.3% of the total available supply of meat or 1,019,155 tonnes was exported, and the remaining 410,965 tonnes (28.7%) were used domestically. 

Self-sufficiency in total meat and meat products increased from 269% to 288% between 2016 and 2017, while self-sufficiency in beef and veal increased by 4.2% to reach 683%.

Table 1 Meat Supply Balance 2015-2017
  SlaughteringsImports ofSuppliesExports ofVariationDomesticHumanGross IndigenousSelf-
 meat= Usesmeatin stocksUses  consumptionproductionSufficiency
Category 121+2=3+4+5345677/5
'000 tonnes (carcass weight equivalent)kg per capita'000 tonnes%
Total meat20151,0272791,306907039885.01,100276
20161,0782891,367948041988.41,126269
20171,1313001,4301,019041185.81,183288
          
Beef and veal20155643359851108718.6589678
20165883762653708918.8605679
20176174165856509419.5640683
          
Pig meat2015276106382235014731.4330224
2016283106389241014831.2324219
2017294115410271013928.9333240
          
Sheep meat201558664480163.352335
201661566510153.253352
201767673570163.357365
          
Poultry meat2015128134262113014931.712886
2016146141287120016735.214687
 2017152137289126016334.015293
Totals may not equal the sum of the categories due to rounding differences.
201520162017
Beef and veal53.653.754.1
Pig meat3028.728.2
Sheep meat4.74.74.9
Poultry meat11.612.912.9

Background Notes

     

Supply balance

The objective of a supply balance is to reconcile the total supplies of a product with the various uses of that product taking into account changes in stock levels.  Supply balance sheets are compiled on the basis of harmonised concepts agreed between the European Union countries.

The total supply of a meat in the country during a year is comprised of meat available from livestock slaughtering and imports. This may be used for export, domestic uses or stocked for future use. Only exports of meat and meat products need to be accounted for, since animals exported live do not constitute part of the supply. Imports of live animals are also not accounted for separately, since the imported animals are slaughtered in the country and then accounted for on supply side as meat.

Supply and use must balance each other, i.e. the following equation must hold in any chosen year

          Slaughtering + Imports of meat = Exports of meat + Domestic uses + Change in stocks 

Balancing residual

In practice one item in each product balance is always calculated as a balancing residual from equation above, rather than taken directly from the data sources, in order to ensure that the exact balance holds.  The balancing item depends on the type of meat: for beef and veal and sheep meat this is exports, while for pork and poultry the balancing item is domestic uses.

Livestock slaughtering

The figures for livestock slaughtering include those carried out at both meat establishments approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and slaughterhouses and meat plants approved by Local Authorities under S.I. 432 of 2009.  Poultry slaughtering figures are derived from data received from the DAFM.

External trade

The figures for imports and exports of meat and meat products are derived from CSO's external trade statistics.  The raw tonnage of meat and meat products traded is converted to carcass weight equivalent using a set of conversion factors agreed with European and national industry experts.

Variation in stocks

Variation in stocks is the net difference between movement of product into stocks and out of stocks in the course of the year. The variation in stocks of meat and meat products is usually very small compared to other items of the balance and is assumed to be negligible in this release.

Domestic uses

Estimates for domestic uses of beef and veal and sheep meat are derived based on the information provided by Bord Bia. These include mainly human consumption, both in households (retail) and services establishments, such as restaurants and bars.  It is assumed that the amount of meat used for other purposes, such as animal feed, and losses are negligible.                 

Human consumption  

The estimates of per capita human consumption are derived by dividing the total domestic uses by the population estimate produced by the CSO.  No account is taken of meat consumed while on overseas and cross-border travel trips.

Gross indigenous production

Gross indigenous production (GIP) is calculated as livestock slaughtering plus exports of live animals less imports of live animals, with all three items converted to carcass equivalent.

           GIP = Livestock slaughtering + Live exports – Live imports

Average carcass weights used for conversion are provided by the DAFM (finished animals) and industry experts (calves and young cattle). The numbers of live animals traded in and out of the country are provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Self-sufficiency

Self-sufficiency is defined as gross indigenous production expressed as a percentage of domestic uses. Self-sufficiency in excess of 100% for any of the products means that the country is net exporter of the given product.

Carcass weight

All figures in the release are shown in carcass weight equivalent.  

For cattle, the carcass weight is defined as the slaughtered animal's cold body weight after being skinned, bled and eviscerated and after removal of external genitalia, the limbs at the carpus and tarsus, head, tail, kidneys and kidney fats and the udder.

For sheep, the carcass weight is defined as the slaughtered animal's cold body weight after being skinned, bled and eviscerated and after removal of the head, feet, tail and genital organs including the udder.  Kidneys and kidney fats are included in the carcass.

For pigs, the carcass weight is defined as the slaughtered animal's cold body weight either whole or divided in half along the mid-line, after being bled and eviscerated and after the removal of the tongue, bristles, hooves, genitalia, flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm.

 

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