EU pigmeat production records notable growth, as export volumes decline

The European Union has experienced a 2% increase in pigmeat production in the first half of 2024, totaling 10.5 million tonnes, due to higher slaughter numbers, with Poland driving the majority of the growth. However, exports have seen a 4% decrease to 1.93 million tonnes, with China and Japan driving the decline, while the United States and southeast Asian countries have seen growth. Despite the increase in production, prices have fallen due to surplus supplies and competition from other countries.

There has been significant growth in EU pigmeat production over the first six months of the year, mainly driven by higher slaughter numbers. EU production totalled 10.5 million tonnes in the first half of 2024, up 2%, 164,000t, on 2023, with growth recorded across most EU nations. On the whole, gains in production over the past year have been driven by increased slaughter numbers and mainly in Poland, according to AHDB analyst Izzy Shohet. Slaughter in the EU-27 bloc grew by 122,000 head up to June 2024, to just under 110m head, driven by a huge 7% increase, representing 634,000 head, to total 9.7m head, with Germany recording minor growth of 46,000 head to 21.9m head. Although production gains were seen in Denmark, the pig kill recorded a fall of 248,000 head (3%) to 7.2m head, suggesting heavier carcase weights have been the driving production. In contrast, Spanish slaughter numbers recorded the largest yearly decline, of 460,000 head to 26.2m head, cancelling out much of ...