Changes in world goose meat production and trade during recent decades

Kozák, János

Keywords: goose, goose meat production, consumption, export, import, trade

Goose meat is a functional food owing to its biological nutritional value; its meat quality is excellent and its gastronomic value is appreciable. In Asia goose is an important component in the nutrition of the population and mitigation of famine since a major part their feed can be covered from locally produced feedstuffs. The feeding of geese in the developed countries is more expensive owing to animal welfare and environmental protection costs; hence goose meat is a seasonally consumed premium product there. The share of goose meat in total poultry meat production has increased 2.5-fold, and its quantity increased has 8.3-fold over the last quarter of a century. The rate of this development has outstripped that of all other poultry species.
Goose-keeping is concentrated in Asia; in 2010 the continent accounted for 95,2% of global goose meat production, followed by Europe with 2,5% and Africa with 2,1%. Around 99,5% of the Asian production comes from China where goose-keeping is supported by gov-ernment programmes. In 2010, three of the top ten goose breeding countries were located in Asia, two in Africa and five in Europe. In Europe, Hungary and Poland have significant pro-duction. lasting recent years waterfowl-keeping in Hungary has incurred severe losses, owing to unfounded international offences against the practice of fattened liver production and har-vesting feathers, hence Poland has taken over the leadership in goose meat production.
Around 2% of the goose meat reaches the world market. In Asia, China is the largest distributor. In Europe, almost all goose meat is marketed in the EU. In 2009, Poland, China and Hungary contributed 91.8% of the exports. A major market is Germany, and its main suppliers are Hungary and Poland.
Today, producers have to comply with public demands for animal welfare (also in the production of waterfowl products) in order to keep the confidence of consumers.

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