The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry stated today that 2018 was an extremely positive year for the regional meat industry for the record increase in the number of slaughters, export growth, improvement of regional slaughter network infrastructures and for the approved changes under POSEI.
 
"From the standpoint of production, the largest number of animals slaughtered in the Region was recorded in 2018: a total of 73 thousand animals. This is a result of the significant increase in exports, representing a growth of 14.5%. If we analyse the average growth of slaughter in the Region, we are talking about an increase of 8%," said João Ponte. He spoke on the sidelines of a visit to a meat sales establishment in the municipality of Ribeira Grande.
 
João Ponte pointed out that these positive indicators reflect the dynamics of growth and sustainable implementation of the meat industry in the context of the regional agricultural sector.
 
The Regional Secretary considered that the favourable situation in the beef market arises from the Regional Government's strategic commitment to this sector. The investments in the regional slaughter network are those with greater visibility as well as the major efforts undertaken by farms towards the constant improvement of their productions.
 
In this regard, he recalled that the significant investment made in the modernisation and expansion of the regional slaughter network in recent years, noting that the works of the new Graciosa Slaughterhouse and the expansion of the cold storage unit of São Miguel Slaughterhouse are about to be completed.
 
In addition to investments in infrastructures, the Regional Secretary highlighted the investment in the certification of slaughterhouses, which he considered to be essential as far as consumers and customers are becoming increasingly demanding.
 
After the certification of the slaughterhouses of Terceira, Santa Maria and Pico with the ISO 22000 standard, João Ponte said that the certification process of the slaughterhouses of Faial, Graciosa, Flores and São Jorge will be carried out in 2019 in order to attest food safety and quality.
 
In statements to journalists, João Ponte also stressed that the Regional Government has also invested in the introduction of annual changes to POSEI, with positive effects for the meat sector.
 
"I am talking about the division of the slaughter premium payment into semesters in 2018 and the reduction of retention period for animals, which decreased from five to three years," said the government official. Furthermore, the aid to the transport was introduced under POSEI 2019 in order to encourage slaughter in the Region and the subsequent export of carcasses.
 
However, the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry pointed out that there are still challenges to be overcome in order to further strengthen the meat industry, such as increasing the meat cutting capacity of the Azores, improving the conformity of carcasses, supplying meat to markets on a regular basis and improving the sector's organisation.
 
For João Ponte, cutting more meat in regional slaughterhouses is synonymous with generating more economic value and creating more jobs.