EU pig meat production falling in early 2022

The EU produced 1.9 million tonnes of pig meat in February, 4% less than the same month a year before, according to data from the European Commission. This means in the first two months of the year, the bloc produced 3.8 million tonnes of pig meat, 3% less (-120kt) than the year before, with 40.5 million pigs slaughtered, a decline of 2%.

For January and February combined, notable changes within the overall group were a 11% drop in German pig meat production (-96kt), a 7% fall in Italian production (-17kt), a 7% fall in Polish production (-24kt) and an 8% fall in Belgian production (-15kt). Once again, Spain continues to buck the trend, with production growing year on year, by 6% (+54kt) over the first two months.

European pig producers face high and increasing costs for feed and other inputs, and just as in the UK, have been calling for local retailers to put money into their pig prices. Rapid farm gate price gains seen in most major markets have slowed, although the EU average is still climbing, as are prices in Spain in particular.

The EU is forecasting a 3% fall in European pig meat production in 2022, in response to lower profitability in the sector.

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