Beef Committee Report

                                                                             
The experience of the sector during the year under review highlighted many negatives. Decline in the cattle population, escalation in cost of inputs and the scourge of cattle theft continued to be a disincentive to farmers and effectively blocked new entrants to the sector.

The Jamaica Livestock Association continued its representation to Government on matters to be addressed as a strategy to develop the cattle sector. The discussions were continuing at year end. To fill the demand created by the contraction in local beef production there is increasing dependence on imports.

During 2007 a total of 23,413 head of cattle slaughtered yielding 5.53 million kilograms with total dressed weight of 4.61 million kilograms entered the legal meat trade. When compared with 28,451 head yielding 6.00 million kilograms and total dressed weight of 5.03 million kilograms in 2006; a decrease of 17.70 percent was recorded. The gravity of the situation is magnified when it is recalled that the slaughter figures for 2006 represented a decrease of 42.5% compared with 2005.