Russia boosts meat production 6% in Jan-May
MOSCOW. June 19 (Interfax) - Russia increased meat production (for slaughter in live weight) by 6% to 3.4 million tonnes in January-May 2009 compared to the same period of 2008, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said.
Meat production rose 6.3% to 0.7 million tonnes in May.
Milk output fell 0.4% to 12.2 million tonnes in the five months and 0.9% to 3.2 million tonnes in May. Egg production grew 4.2% to 15.8 billion eggs in January-May and 4.3% to 3.6 billion eggs in May.
As of the end of May 2009, agricultural producers had 22.1 million head of cattle, down 2.4% from the same date of 2008, including 9.2 million cows, down 2.6%. There were 17.9 million pigs, up 4.1%, and 23.9 million sheep and goats, up 0.4%.
The population accounted for 48.9% of the cattle, 39.4% of the pigs and 50.2% of the sheep and goats as of the end of May. These figures were a respective 48.4%, 43.6% and 50.2% at the end of May 2008.