The reform process at the slaughterhouse yesterday led to no beef being slaughtered, with the GRTU complaining that systems that the government wanted to introduce would break up the competitive structure of the market.

Talks between the GRTU, as representative of the slaughterers/middlemen were held yesterday but final agreement was elusive, with the slaughterers saying the government was ruining the market for local fresh beef.

The new system is due to come into effect on Monday.

The Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry said talks would resume today and there appeared to be goodwill on all sides for agreement to be reached.

The GRTU said in a statement that the slaughterers/middlemen bought beef from those who bred the cattle. After the slaughter, the carcass is put at the disposal of butchers and others who want to buy beef, and is then cut up according to the orders placed by the buyers. The cuts are then conveyed to those who bought them.

The GRTU said it had urged huge investments by slaughterers, to ensure the highest level of hygiene, in line with what was being requested by the agriculture authorities. But the government was now going beyond that and the systems it wanted to introduce come Monday would mean the elimination of the competitive structure of the market, with slaughterers being unable to sell the beef they bought from breeders if not at a huge loss.

The fresh beef market was today liberalised and apart from facing the competition of imported frozen beef there was also the competition of imported fresh beef. Sales of imported fresh beef amounted each week to about half the slaughter carried out at the abattoir.

The GRTU said those who bought imported fresh beef had the opportunity to see and choose what they were buying. At the slaughterhouse, however, the management was expecting slaughterers to not allow butchers to choose what to buy after the kill, but to have them make their purchases in the dark.

In answer, the ministry said that to reach European standards no stripping of flesh should be carried on in the despatch area of the abattoir. Therefore the entry of buyers had to be controlled and they could not allow large numbers of people to view the meat before they bought it. Butchers must not be allowed to touch the meat being displayed for sale and all meat cutting and stripping had to be done in a specially developed area in the abattoir.

The ministry said Malta needed to continue improving its operations according to European legislation. Talks were resuming between the ministry, the GRTU and the slaughter men to find alternatives which would not hinder the improvements.