UK: Breeding pig herd declines in England

Published Mar 9, 2023

Tridge summary

England's hog breeding herd saw a significant decrease of 20% in December 2022, dropping to 237,000 from 295,000 in 2021. This decline is part of a larger trend, with the overall English pig herd down 9.2% year-on-year to 3.7 million. The National Pig Association warns that these numbers could have substantial implications for British production. The sector has faced challenges such as a supply surge in Europe and a post-Brexit shortage of butchers, leading to a backlog of over 200,000 hogs. The British Pork sector is calling for contractual legislation to negotiate fairer prices and improve the supply chain, with the government set to publish a review on the pork supply chain soon.

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Original content

England's hog breeding herd dropped 20% to 237,000 in December 2022 from 295,000 in 2021, after two years of heavy financial losses across the sector. The latest numbers were 25% below the 317,000 head recorded in 2020, the National Pig Association said. The overall English pig herd was down 9.2% year-on-year to 3.7 million, including a 7.9% reduction in the number of fattening pigs, the NPA added. The December breeding herd numbers follow the June 2022 census data showing an 18% year-on-year decline in production levels. Producers have weathered two torrid years, with farm backlogs reaching more than 200,000 hogs at the worst of a crisis caused by a flood of supply in Europe and a post-Brexit shortage of butchers. The implications of such a drop in production "are likely to be significant" for British production, the NPA warned, especially when the impact of lower slaughter weights was also taken into account. "These numbers are shocking, confirming a scale and pace of ...

Source: Suinoculturaindustrial