Catalonia: Halal slaughter

The largest slaughterhouse in Catalonia is approved for expansion.  The municipal company Mercabarna will invest 3 million euro to increase the size of the facilities, making it 2,000 square meters when work is completed in late 2009.  The space for cold storage will be increased by 50%.

This will include a new line of slaughtering sheep, which will allow for 4,000 lambs a day, 50% of the total Catalan produce.

According to data from the municipality, half a million cattle, sheep and horses were slaughtered in 2007.  In the past five years the volume in the Mercabarna slaughterhouse has increased by 33%, due ot the increase in the immigrant population and the number of exports.

34% of the slaughter of cattle and sheep is done according to the Muslim ritual.  20% of the lamb are exported, mainly to France, while all of the cattle which is halal slaughtered goes to the Spanish market.

Source: Expansion (Spanish), h/t La Yijad en Eurabia

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