Macedonian sheep breeding has a long tradition and it's supported by favorable natural conditions, meaning, flocks are raised in ecologically clean areas. Macedonia is located in the center of the Balkans, and more than 50% of the agricultural area (660,000 hectares) are alpine pastures. Pastures with 55,000 hectares of meadows, represent a great resource for development of sheep breeding. According to official statistics for the period 2000-2008, the annual average of sheep in the country is 1.28 million. 67% from them were breeding ewes (mostly dairy), 27% lambs and yearlings and only 6% were rams and sterile ewes. But it is only statistics, and the correct number of heads and farms is not known.
Sheep are mostly grown by the rural population, which gets good amounts of quality milk and meat from sheep. Total average production of sheep milk in recent years is about 49.6 thousand liters with an average yield of 57 liters per ewe. Individual sheep farmers produce 60 l / year while the sheep enterprises only 39 liters. Moreover, sheepskins are demanded in industry of leather products. Sheep give wool, but in our country it achieves high value. Sheep milk is processed into several specialties - soft white cheese (which is the most popular and sold in the domestic market, but small quantities are exported to neighboring countries), sheep's cheese, yogurt and whey. Very good product is also the young lamb meat. Soft white cheese together with the lamb meat, reflect the traditions and skills of shepherds. The quality of products is high valued on the domestic and foreign market, and today nearly 900,000 sheep give around 900,000 lambs and 40,000 tons of milk from which mainly is made soft white sheep cheese.
Macedonia has a history of producing lambs for export. About 80% of Macedonian lambs were exported to European countries, mainly in Greece (2,126 tons) and Italy (761 tonnes). Smaller amounts of lamb are sold in Serbia, Montenegro and Cyprus and especially in Croatia, which is becoming a significant growing market. Lamb meat is recognized as one of the main export of Macedonian agricultural sector, and that sector has great potential for expansion.
However, the weak production technology, hygiene and application of quality standards may be pointed as a significant issue. There is only one dairy in the country licensed to export to the EU, while two other processors possess a license for export to countries that are not EU members. More recently, manufacturers show a trend of increasing milk production and crosses with breeds of sheep that have high potential for milk production.
Sheep are mostly grown by the rural population, which gets good amounts of quality milk and meat from sheep. Total average production of sheep milk in recent years is about 49.6 thousand liters with an average yield of 57 liters per ewe. Individual sheep farmers produce 60 l / year while the sheep enterprises only 39 liters. Moreover, sheepskins are demanded in industry of leather products. Sheep give wool, but in our country it achieves high value. Sheep milk is processed into several specialties - soft white cheese (which is the most popular and sold in the domestic market, but small quantities are exported to neighboring countries), sheep's cheese, yogurt and whey. Very good product is also the young lamb meat. Soft white cheese together with the lamb meat, reflect the traditions and skills of shepherds. The quality of products is high valued on the domestic and foreign market, and today nearly 900,000 sheep give around 900,000 lambs and 40,000 tons of milk from which mainly is made soft white sheep cheese.
However, the weak production technology, hygiene and application of quality standards may be pointed as a significant issue. There is only one dairy in the country licensed to export to the EU, while two other processors possess a license for export to countries that are not EU members. More recently, manufacturers show a trend of increasing milk production and crosses with breeds of sheep that have high potential for milk production.
Instagram widget 
No comments: