BEEF PRODUCTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

Beef contains proteins with high biological value, minerals and vitamins. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in 2019, 72.609.000 tonnes of beef were produced worldwide. The largest producers of beef in the world are the following countries: The United States of America (12.381.000 t), Brazil (10.200.000 t), the European Union (7.886.000 t), China (6.685.000 t), Argentina (3.137.000 t), India (2.649.000 t) and Australia (2.228.000 t). In the analyzed period from 2009 2019 in the Republic of North Macedonia, the average production of beef is 5.147 t and has a downward trend with a rate of 5,6 5%. Beef production in the countries of the former Yugoslavia is declining year by year. In the analyzed period 2009 2018, the lowest average beef production was observed in Montenegro 4.319 t, followed by Macedonia with 5,253 t, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with 18,580 t, Slovenia with 34.327 t, Croatia with 42.235 t and Serbia with 76.692 t. Although Serbia is the largest producer of beef from the countries of the former Yugoslavia, it is still declining at a rate of 3,71 %. Only Croatia has a small growth trend with a rate of 1,95%. In the Republic of North Macedonia, for the analyzed period from 2009 2019, on average a total of 32.545 heads of cattle were slaughtered, out of which 6.455 heads of cattle were slaughtered in slaughterhouses. The slaughter of cattle in the slaughterhouses for the analyzed period has a growth trend with a rate of 8,45%. In 2019, there is an increase in the gross weight of slaughtered cattle by 13,77 % compared to 2018. The yield of slaughtered cattle in the slaughterhouses of the Republic of North Macedonia in 2019 was 56 % and increased by 19,15 % compared to 2009 when it was 47 %. In general, very little beef is produced in the Republic of North Macedonia and its production is in continuous decline. This contributes to the increase of imports of fresh and frozen beef in order to meet the needs of the market. Beef production is a very important segment in the diet of the population and the meat processing industry, especially today in times of pandemic, it is important for each country to provide domestic production of safe food to meet its needs.