Ireland reported a 1.8% increase in prices for meat in February 2024, compared with the same month last year, Eurostat has revealed.
In February 2024, most European Union (EU) countries reported an increase in prices for meat, compared with February 2023.
The highest increase was recorded in Bulgaria (8.2%), followed by Romania (7.7%) and Croatia (7.1%).
However, prices in Ireland increased by 1.8%, while in contrast, three countries recorded a decrease in the prices for meat: Czechia (-5.1%), Finland (-2.2%) and Denmark (-0.6%).
In February 2024, the price of meat in the EU was 3.3% higher than in February 2023. Pork meat recorded the highest increase at 5.7%, ahead of lamb and goat (+4.5%) and beef and veal (+3%).
Poultry, in contrast, registered a decrease of 1.6% compared with February 2023.
Over the past three years, the annual inflation rates for meat were the highest between April 2022 and March 2023, with annual rates of change above 10%.
The highest rate was registered in February 2023 when the price was 17.3% higher than in February 2022.
The annual increase in the prices of beef, veal, lamb and goat remained below 15% during the past three years.
Meanwhile, France is expected to retain its top position as the largest beef producer in the EU in 2024 ahead of Germany, Spain and Ireland, according to latest projections published by Eurostat.
But, overall according to the latest statistics there will be a slight decrease in beef production in general in the EU this year.
According to Eurostat the production of bovine animals is forecast to hit 12.1m head in the second semester of 2024.
But this would represent a decrease of 1% compared with the same period in 2023 when 12.2m head of animals were produced.
France is expected to produce 2.7m head, ahead of Germany (2m head), Spain (1.3m head) and Ireland (1m head).
Malta (2,000 head), Cyprus (10,000 head), Luxembourg (32,000 head) and Croatia (41,000 head) are expected to have the smallest production.