Bacon imported for tourists
Beef is in high demand among Iceland's tourists.
The total value of imported food and drink in January and February this year is some 30% higher than the same period last year. The 2015 figure is ISK 9.6 billion (approx. €64.6 million) as compared to ISK 7.4 million in 2014.
These are some of the provisional findings on food and drink imports recently published by Statistics Iceland.
Tourist food demand
According to Andrés Magnússon, Secretary-General of the Icelandic Federation of Trade and Services, the increase is due to a sharp rise in food demand, caused in turn by an increase in tourist numbers.
“Domestic production cannot cover demand for bacon. Beef is also in high demand. As long as demand for milk remains as high as it is, Icelandic farmers will see milk production as the more profitable activity and beef production will continue to neglected,” explains Magnússon.
