The European Union (EU) has seen a significant increase in beef production in the first quarter of 2024, with Italy and Poland leading the growth. France remains the EU's largest beef producer, despite a decline, while Germany is the only country among the top six sheep meat producers to report growth. Despite high meat prices, demand for beef and lamb has remained resilient, with mixed trends across different countries. The European Commission forecasts a slight decrease in EU beef and lamb consumption in 2023 due to prices and supply, but expects sheep meat consumption to benefit in the long term due to its cultural and religious significance.