The Great Transformation of Porto Meat Markets (1780-1800)

Abstract

This chapter is divided in three sections. In the first we present the traditional circumstances of meat supply to Porto market and the rise on price that took place between 1780 and 1786 with an attempt of public administration in 1784. The second section deals with the long phase of public Meat Administration and dual system that results from it. During this phase, we analyse the relations between cattle fairs, marketplaces and prices through a quantitative analysis of the data provide by the accounting of the public Meat Administration. The last part of the paper put the conflict between meat supply and market prices within a general overview of grow and changes of Porto city at the end of Ancient Régime, aiming at putting forward some analytical hypothesis and suggest a further research agenda.