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EU total meat production is expected to continue its recovery over the outlook period from the decline suffered in 2008 and 2009, and is expected to show a further moderate increase of 2.4% by 2020. The outlook differs between ruminants and non-ruminants, as beef/veal and sheep/goat meat production is estimated to drop by 1.3% and 7.9% respectively between 2011 and 2020, while pig and poultry meat production would expand by 3.6% each.
The driving factor for production growth is the increasing poultry and pig meat consumption. EU total meat consumption per capita would reach 83 kg in 2020 which corresponds to a slight increase compared to 2010. Poultry meat consumption would increase most, followed by pig meat.
Pig meat is expected to remain the preferred meat in the EU with 41.6 kg per capita consumption in 2020, compared to 23.6 kg for poultry, 15.8 kg for beef/veal and less than 2 kg for sheep and goat meat.
The net trade position of the EU is projected to deteriorate over the outlook period, driven by an increase in meat imports (of beef/veal, sheep and goat and poultry meats) and a parallel decline in exports of poultry. Aggregate meat imports and exports would grow by 6.1% and 1.9% respectively, leaving the EU as a net exporter of pig and poultry meats in 2020.
January 2012/ European Commission.
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture
