Statistics: Estonians have started to consume more domestic meat
79 percent of the meat consumed in Estonia in 2020 was locally produced, state agency Statistics Estonia reports, the highest percentage in the last five years.
Last year, meat production in Estonia amounted to 82,700 tons, including 45,200 tons of pork, 22,300 tons of poultry meat and 11,900 tons of beef.
According to Ege Kirs, an analyst at Statistics Estonia, the total production of meat increased by 5 percent compared to the previous year and has recovered from the low production level of 2017.
"The production of poultry meat grew the most, by 10 percent, but there was also a 4 percent increase in beef production and a 3 percent increase in pork production. At the same time, the number of bovine animals decreased and the number of dairy cows dropped to its lowest ever," Kirs added.
Last year, 104,000 tons of meat was consumed in Estonia, 2 percent less than in 2019. The most popular is pork: 40 kg of pork was eaten per person over the year. Poultry meat consumption amounted to 27.2 kg per person, while sheep and goat meat consumption was under one kg per capita. In the last few years, beef consumption has slightly decreased again, but still 9.2 kg of beef per person is eaten in a year.
In 2014, 90 percent of the meat consumed in Estonia was locally produced. Then, the level of meat self-sufficiency started to decline. Since 2018, the level of self-sufficiency started to rise again, and last year, it was at the following levels: 98 percent for beef, 85 percent for pork, 100 percent for sheep and goat meat and 62 percent for poultry meat.
The import of meat and meat contained in products declined by 10 percent. Fresh pork was imported most from Germany, followed by Denmark and Poland. Beef arrived in Estonia primarily from Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. Sheep and goat meat were imported from New Zealand and Spain, poultry meat from Poland, Finland and Lithuania.
More detailed information can be found here and here.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste