The EU Commission has predicted a slow-down in the growth in meat production in the block next year.

Having grown by 2.5 percent in 2014 and 2015, all major meats except for sheep meat are forecast slower growth in 2016. The predictions were made in the EU’s latest short-term outlook report.

Sheep production recovered in 2015 (rising 1.5 percent overall), after a slow-down. Consumption of sheep meat in the EU is expected to remain steady this year and next.

After waning consumption, EU per capita meat consumption is forecast to rise by 2 percent, following a recovery in 2014. This is due to lower retail prices and higher availability, and exports are predicted to rise faster than production increases over the period. Beef production could rise as a result of slaughtering dairy cows due to continued low milk prices.

Commission analysts said pig meat production is expected to increase further in 2015 in spite of the low prices, but that early signs of decreases in the reproductive herd have recently been observed. Meat exports performed better than expected in 2015 in spite of the Russian ban on imports.

For dairy, production is set to increase slightly despite lower production in the EU’s main producing states, France and Germany (this year overall production was up 1 percent in spite of reductions from these major players). However, the UK, along with Denmark, Ireland and Spain are in line for strong increases in production.

More information is available from the Commission here.