German meat production dipped in 2012, the National Statistics Office (Destatis) reported on Wednesday. The Wiesbaden-based bureau said last year marked the first fall in production in 15 years.

Destatis figures revealed that eight million tons of meat left German slaughterhouses last year, down 1.9 percent from 2011 levels.

Back in 1997, the total volume of meat produced in the country stood at just 4.9 million tons, rising gradually by almost 67 percent by 2011.

Poultry production stable

Statisticians said the 2012 drop in production was above all a result of less pork being consumed in the country. Pork demand dropped by 2.5 percent year-on-year, with a total of over 58 million pigs being slaughtered, 1.4 million fewer than in the previous year.

Beef production also fell by 1.9 percent, continuing a trend already seen in the past couple of years, while poultry production increasing marginally.

Mutton, goat and horse meat only accounted for 0.3 percent of total meat production in 2012, with 11,300 horses slaughtered last year.

hg/hc (dpa, AFP)