Decline In Spanish Beef Consumption Continues
SPAIN - Spanish beef consumption has dropped by nearly eight per cent over the last 12 months to leave per capita consumption in the home at 6.5kg, according to Cecilia Ruiz, Madrid Office Manager for Bord Bia – Irish Food Board.
26 September 2011
1 minute read
In an effort to boost sales, Spanish retailers have been aggressively reducing beef prices to the point where beef steaks have been priced lower than chicken breasts at €6.99/kg in Carrefour last week.
Looking at mid-year figures, there is little change to trends in the Spanish beef sector as imports of both beef and live cattle decline, production remains stable and the sector, according to producers, is relying on live cattle and beef exports to deliver returns.
Despite the drop in consumption, shipments of Irish beef to market are running at similar volumes to 2010 with exports for the first half of 2011 amounting to just over 7,000 tonnes.
Irish beef is very suitable to the requirements of the Spanish consumer who, according to the outcome of recent focus groups commissioned by Bord Bia, wants grass-fed, tender and tasty beef and thinks that Ireland “with its Rain, grass, green pastures, cows… must be very similar to Asturias, it must be really good quality, to give yourself a treat”.
TheCattleSite News Desk
