The Montanera 2023-24 in figures
The Montanera 2023-24 in figures gives us information on the number of acorn-fed animals slaughtered and is key to the quality of Iberian acorn-fed hams each year. Today we share the official data of the Montanera 2023-24 recently published by ASICI. You will be able to discover the ins and outs and some data of what happened this year.
The Montanera season ends on March 31, 2024.
This year, 592,275 acorn-fed pigs have been slaughtered, about 6,000 animals less than in the previous season, a decrease of less than 1%.
It should be noted that 65.9% of the animals had a black seal(100% Iberian Acorn-Fed Pig).
Thirty-four percent of the pigs had a red seal.
Of these, the 50% Iberian acorn-fed pigs accounted for 81%, while the 75% Iberian breed accounted for the remaining 19%.
Andalusia reduced its production, while Extremadura and Castilla y León increased it slightly. Andalusia leads production with 45.5% of the animals, followed by Extremadura with 39.3% and Castilla y León with 8.7%. Portugal also experienced an increase in production.
Comparing that year’s figures with those of previous years, we can draw the following conclusions:
The consolidation of the farmers’ commitment to the breeding of 100% Iberian acorn-fed pigs can be glimpsed, with a 5% increase over the previous year. Although the figures of the 21/22 campaign have not yet been reached.
The explanation is simple. The increase in production costs, the global uncertainty of demand in the post-pandemic period and the war crises that we are suffering, translate into a logical aversion to risk on the part of farmers. From these 100% Iberian acorn-fed pigs, the authentic and unique pata negra hams will be obtained.
In the same line of commitment to the best quality, we note that the breeding of Iberian pigs under the four Protected Designations of Origin increased by 18.4%, with 93,900 pigs. At ibericomio, we have recently created the PDO Ham category in which you can find Guijuelo, Jabugo, Los Pedroches or Dehesa de Extremadura Ham.
The main highlight of the 23-24 year in terms of numbers was the abundance of acorns and grass compared to previous years. Oleic acid analyses of acorn-fed carcasses have broken records. We expect spectacular qualities in Iberian acorn-fed ham that, at the earliest, we could begin to enjoy in the first months of the year 2026.
