Romania’s meat industry enters 2025 under increasing pressure regarding processing costs and compliance with European legislation. According to Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 and recent updates to the “Farm to Fork” Strategy, processing units must comply with stricter standards on hygiene, traceability, and emissions reduction.

According to Eurostat data, average processing costs increased by approximately 12% across Europe in 2024, driven by rising energy prices and auxiliary materials. In Romania, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) reported a 10% increase in operating expenses for slaughterhouses and processing plants.

Investments in automation and digitalization technologies are becoming a mandatory solution for maintaining competitiveness. Studies by the European Commission show that units that integrated IoT sensors and digital control systems reduced technological losses by 15% and energy consumption by 8%.

In an increasingly regulated European context, Romanian processors must balance costs with the benefits of investments in order to maintain market access and meet consumer demands.

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