Equipment for the treatment of animal by-products is being installed at the abattoir, enabling the relaunch of traditional meat products such as the tripe (kirxa) which had been discontinued because of EU regulations.
Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo explained on Wednesday that the methods used for generations to process such products had been unacceptable under EU rules.
Relaunching the products will boost the competitiveness of the local agricultural sector, helping Maltese and Gozitan farmers by literally turning what is today considered as waste, into a new opportunity for growth.
To date, most by-products from locally slaughtered pig, beef, sheep, and goat are incinerated. Last year, about 1,700 tons of material were discarded, a large part of which could have had one or more uses.