Bulgaria Sees Record Meat Consumption in 2010



By the end of the year, Bulgaria will register its highest per capita consumption of meat in the last 11 years, according estimates based on recent data.

According to data of the National Statistical Institute and estimates of a meat-processing company, Mekom AD Silistra, the per capita meat consumption in Bulgaria will reach 47 kg by the end of 2010, including 32 kg of meat and 15 kg of meat products.

The new record is in contrast with the lowest meat consumption that Bulgarians saw in 2001, when it amounted to only 31 kg per person (21 kg of meat and 10 kg of meat products).

"
Our analyses show that the Bulgarians' standard of living is rising slowly and gradually over the years. Apparently, not even the economic crisis prevented people from eating more meat. We expect this trend to continue since Bulgaria is falling behind the developed Western markets,"
said Stefan Raychev, owner of Mekom.

The average per capita meat consumption in Germany, France and Italy is about 90 kg, reaching 110 kg in Spain.

Serbia is in the lead in Eastern Europe with 80 kg per person, Greece – 70 kg, Romania – over 60 kg;
Turkey – 25 kg.

Mekom AD Silistra is the fourth largest Bulgarian company and the 17th largest in the Balkans in the food-processing sector. It registered a turnover of BGN 68 M in 2009;
it employs about 650 people.

More than 65% of its produce is exported in the rest of the EU as well as in Switzerland, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Albania, and some Middle East countries.

From what I have been told the meat in Bulgaria is a bit iffy so this is quite strange but I suppose the Bulgarians are use to it, I wonder if the meat in Bulgaria is so tuf because they don't hang it? or is it the diet of the animals ? does anyone know ?

Hi

I can only speak about our area of Bulgaria, reference this topic. We have lived in the South West of Bulgaria now for 3 years, all of our neighbour s and in fact most of the village rear their own animals for consumption.

I always help to slaughter our neighbour s pigs, they feed them well, and the meat and the fat are a lovely colour, we have eaten it straight of the hoof, and at a later date, and always have found it very tasty.

I think the problem with some of them is the way they cook it, cheaper cuts of meat that we would have bought in England would be cooked slowly, where as here some tend to BBQ or fry these pieces to quickly which makes them a little tough to eat.

I think its more the preparation of the meat rather than the quality that makes it tough.

Darrell

There is excellent meat here if you know where to find it.Even good quality mince with no fat or other unwanted content.I still can't get into the anemic spam though.

Your right ABC you just have to look around and its there and in some cases much better than I've tasted elsewhere, what I would say is try and avoid the big supermarkets and look for a friendly butcher and I;
m sure you will be delighted with what you buy

I find most of the meat here to be ok, although I'm not keen on veal so rarely eat beef unless our neighbour slaughters a cow.

By far the best meat we've ever had is our home reared pork. We also raised turkeys for the table too and they were fantastic. Sadly no turkeys this year but we will be having fresh pork at christmas