EU: Slight decrease in animal production expected in 2024

In the last quarter of 2024, pig production is expected to decrease by 1% compared to the same quarter of 2023, reaching 57.7 million heads. Spain is expected to produce 13.6 million head of pigs in the 4th quarter of 2024, which would keep it as the largest pork producing country in the EU, ahead of Germany (8.8 million heads) and Denmark (7.3 million heads). In the 2nd half of 2024, gross domestic production (GDP) of cattle produced in the EU is expected to reach 12.1 million heads. This would indicate a decrease of 1% compared to the same period in 2023, when 12.2 million heads were produced. France is expected to continue to be the largest beef producer in the 2nd half of 2024, with 2.7 million heads, ahead of Germany (2.0 million), Spain (1.3 million) and Ireland (1.0 million). Sheep production is expected to decrease by 7%, to 15.6 million heads, in the 2nd half of 2024, while goat production is expected to decrease ...