Confecarne shows the problems of the meat sector in the new general Secretary of the MARM

The Confederation of business organizations in the Cárnico Sector of Spain (Confecarne) held at the beginning of week a meeting with Eduardo Tamarit, new Secretary General of Rural Environment of the Ministry of environment and Rural Environment and marine (MARM), which was also Isabel BombalDirector General of food markets and industries. During the meeting, Jaume Blancafort, President of Confecarne and Fecic, and Generoso García, President of AICE and Vice President of Confecarne, accompanied by members of the Board of Directors, presented the Confederation to the new Secretary General of the Ministry as a partner of the meat sector in the different administrations.

In addition to the Confederation, its President Jaume Blancafort stressed the socio-economic dimension of the Spanish meat industry, one of the first five industrial sectors of our country. A sector composed of slaughterhouses, cutting rooms and industries developed, with an industrial fabric essentially composed of more than 3,000 small and medium-sized companies, spread nationwide, which ranks with difference first of all the Spanish food industry and beverages, representing a turnover of more than 19 billion euros, 20% of the Spanish food sector, and that exports amounting to more than 2.5 billion euros per year to markets around the world.

During the meeting, representatives of Confecarne stressed, in full coincidence with ministerial officials, that the growth of the meat sector is going to happen in a strategic way for foreign trade. To this end, they called for strong support of the MARM to list framework of exporting companies, as well as the Elimination of the last tape and documentaries which, as the as the export health certificate, make it difficult for foreign activity of industries. Also, was requested to Eduardo Tamarit support activities of promotion, once open the markets of third countries, essential to develop and consolidate the sales there, as well as the creation of a unit in the MARM specializes in support for the projects presented by Spanish agri-foodstuffs sectors promotion Community regulations. On the other hand, meat representatives expressed its strong support for the amendment the standards of quality that he has approached the Ministry through a draft Royal Decree, thank you for the work done in this regard, and was asked for his quick referral to the sector for its analysis and valuation. Finally, dealt with the problems of the Iberian sector, and from Confecarse are thanked the MARM that the sector is already represented in the Bureau of the Iberian, through Iberaice. Also insisted that the standard of quality control has to be fully effective and efficient, having been offered the industry (through its ASICI interprofessional) to collaborate and participate in the improvement of the control. Therefore expected that the Ministry should indicate how and to what extent such collaboration can achieve. For its part, Eduardo Tamarit explained that it is necessary to achieve a proper differentiation between the pig productions linked to la dehesa and intensive production, which would have to find a few different names.

Member of Confecarne met with the new Secretary General of Rural Environment of the Ministry of environment and Rural Environment and marine (MARM), Eduardo Tamarit.

Spain is the fourth largest world producer of pigmeat (only behind China, United States.)UU. (and Germany), with a volume of 3,24 million tons in 2009. In beef, our production was 575.00 tons, to which must be added other 130,000 tonnes of sheep production in which our country ranks second in the EU. As for the production of processed meat, Spain, with more than 1.2 million tons per year lies in fourth place in the European Union, after Germany, Italy and France. The cold cuts stand out in volume products, and cooked, and value the hams and shoulders cured (white and Iberian). The past year, the Spanish meat industry exported 1.22 million tonnes of meat (, 865.000 pork) and almost 100,000 tonenadas of finished products.

Confecarne brings together the Association of industries of the meat Spain (IAEC) and the Catalan Federation of Industries of the Carn (Fecic), and has 1,000 member companies employing more than 45,000 workers. Companies associated with Confecarne meet 75% of the national production of processed meat, 79% of the cured ham, more than 90% of national production developed from Iberian pigs, 70% of the national sacrifice of pigs and more than 60% of the slaughter of cattle.