Norway

TOTAL CATTLE KILL including calves and horses in 2001 amounted to around 350,000 head, a reduction of almost 9%. However, projections for 2002 expect a 2% increase. The market share held by the farmers' co-operative Norsk Kjøtt (Norway Meat) was in the range of 76-77%, representing a small increase on the previous year. Of the two private operators, Rieber Skinn have merged themselves into a joint venture with Norway Meat whereby Rieber collect hides and skins from private abattoirs, make the selections and then sell them through Norway Meat. The other operators are Fatland Hud & Skin, part of the Fatland Group who own their own slaughterhouses and represent 15-20% of the hides and skins off-take in Norway. The export markets for Norwegian hides have traditionally been European tanneries but the numbers being sold to Asia have been increasing. The total kill of sheep and lambs was around 1,180,000, an increase of about 4.5% on 2000. The prediction for 2002 shows a decrease of 2% for this category. Around 74% were slaughtered by the co-op, an increase of 2.5%.