EU pig feed production falls in 2021 while other sector’s production increases

The European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) estimates that EU pig feed production decreased by 1.5% in 2021, due to the critical pigment situation and industry crisis. The EU pig industry faced challenges of reduced meat demand in key export markets during 2021, owing to the sanitary import ban and the Asia-Pacific recovery from African swine fever. This, alongside the high costs for feed grains and an increase in 2020 production levels, resulted in the 1.5% decrease in 2021’s pig feed production. FEFAC’s data shows that the countries most affected by the EU pigmeat situation were Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Slovenia and Hungary. While the Netherlands and Belgium have continued the depopulation of their pig herds, to lower their agricultural environmental emissions. In their 2022 market outlook, FEFAC also disclosed that it expects the EU pig sector to further reduce its activities due to the high cost of feed materials and lower market demand; FEFAC members ...