THE SOUVLA on our plates during the August holidays will be cheaper to buy as demand for red meat goes down.
Butchers’ Association President Costas Livadiotis yesterday told the Mail that meat production has been steadily decreasing. “In 2005, we produced 8,000 tons, 7,000 a year later, with the figure for 2007 expected to be even less.”
The price of meat in general has come down since Easter. From £5-£6 per kilo, it is now £4.50-£5, with wholesale prices hovering at £3.35.
Some supermarkets are advertising lamb and goat at even lower prices.
“More people are now eating chicken and pork as they believe the meat to be a healthier option,” said Livadiotis.
Over the August holidays, 20,000-25,000 lambs and goats are expected to be slaughtered, along with 35,000 pigs at the island’s two abattoirs at Kofinou and CYPRA.
However, prices are expected to rise from September. “Corn will cost an extra 20 to 50 per cent by the end of the year, and this will be passed onto consumers,” Livadiotis stated.
He added that consumers have also been put off red meat after it emerged that several shipments from Greece bore fake stamps, meaning their origin could not be authenticated.
“The previous Easter, lambs from Greece had to be sent back after we discovered that their stamps of origin had been altered at slaughterhouses. The animals probably came from Bulgaria or Romania.”
The Veterinary Services yesterday gave the green light for a shipment of meat which arrived at Limassol Port on Thursday from Greece to be accepted.
Director Charalambos Kakoyiannis stated that inspectors have checked the shipment and confirmed that everything is OK.
“We have received confirmation that the animals were born, raised and slaughtered in Greece,” he said. “All stamps are genuine.”
However, over four tons of packaged animal heads, livers and intestinal linings were destroyed, with the owner’s consent, as they were slightly off and not in the best condition.
Kakoyiannis added that a suspicious shipment due from Bulgaria will be kept away from the island until all the relevant checks can be carried out and could even be sent back.
“We are in constant communication with the relevant Bulgarian authorities and are being extra careful.”
He also said that farmers in Cyprus were worried over their livelihood as they are seeing cheap, imported meat flood the island.
