In the first nine months of 2023
Industrial poultry farming and landed catch increased compared to the same period of the previous year, while livestock slaughter experienced a decline
According to data gathered by the Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM) from companies in the region engaged in industrial poultry farming, from January to September 2023, egg production reached around 24.0 million units, marking a 4.7% increase year-on-year. Simultaneously, poultry meat grew by 8.9% compared to the first nine months of the previous year, totalling 2,649.3 tonnes. Changes were recorded for the period from July to September compared to the same period the preceding year, with -7.8% and +1.9% for egg production and poultry meat, respectively.
Conversely, cattle slaughtered, expressed in tonnes, decreased by 9.0% year-on-year overall for the first three quarters of 2023, a change justified by the decline in cattle slaughter (-9.5%). The year-on-year change for cattle slaughtered in the third quarter of 2023 was -7.4%.
In fishing domain, information collected from the Regional Directorate of Fisheries for the first nine months of 2023 shows an increase in quantities of landed catch by 1.0% and a rise in the first sale value by 15.6%. From January to September 2023, the landed catch in the region amounted to 4,163.8 tonnes, generating first sale revenues of 15.8 million euros.
Among the main species caught, only tuna and similar species (+6.9%) and blue jack mackerel (+17.6%) showed increases compared to the first nine months of 2022, contributing to the overall positive change, with black scabbardfish (-4.9%) and chub mackerel (-2.6%) experiencing declines. In terms of value, all species showed increases. Black scabbardfish stood out, registering the highest increase (+35.1%), followed by blue jack mackerel (+5.6%), chub mackerel (+3.8%), and tuna and similar species (+1.3%), all contributing to the aforementioned positive change. It is noteworthy that during this period, 50.4% of the value of the catches pertained to black scabbardfish.
The average price of fish at the first sale for the reference period (excluding fish landed for self-consumption) was 3.85 euros (compared to 3.37 euros in the same period of 2022), with the average price for tuna and similar species reaching 3.14 euros (compared to 3.31 euros in the corresponding period) and for black scabbardfish 4.72 euros (compared to 3.34 euros in the first nine months of the previous year).
It is worth noting that in the third quarter of 2023, the quantity of unloaded fish increased by 52.4% year-on-year, while the value grew by 34.4%.
Aquaculture production decreased by 20.2% year-on-year
According to information gathered by DREM from aquaculture production companies in the region, between January and September 2023, 1,040.3 tonnes of sea bream were produced, a decrease of 20.2% year-on-year. Sales amounted to 6.0 million euros, decreasing by 11.6%.
By markets, it is observed that 87.3% of the sales value relates to the domestic market (Mainland Portugal and the Azores), and only 12.6% to the regional market.
In the third quarter of 2023, the change in the quantity produced and the value of sales was +48.8% and +38.2%, respectively.