Rabbit meat raised domestically could be on the shelves in Iceland as early as next autumn.
RÚV reports that Birgit Kositzke, who has been raising rabbits in Hvammstangi for a few years now, was recently granted permission by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) to begin slaughtering rabbits for sale.
Hers will be the only rabbit slaughterhouse in Iceland and, if all goes well, she expects to be able to start selling the meat next autumn, with an eye on Christmas.
With the permit to slaughter, Birgit is also no longer obliged to cap her rabbit population, but can let them breed at will. Her plan is to start by slaughtering 1,500 per year, but hopes to be able to take that number up to 5,000.
Birgit adds that while demand for rabbit meat amongst Icelanders is significant, she also believes foreigners living in Iceland have considerable interest in eating rabbit, too.
The rabbits which have been plaguing south Iceland for at least the past 2 years now will not be appearing on store shelves.
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