Feed production falls in an unprecedented way in Spain due to a declining pig census

Industrial feed production has fallen in Spain between 3 and 3.5% in 2023 and the sector considers it unprecedented and historic because, for the first time, the decrease is greater than the European average (-2%) being a of the main causes of the decline in the pig herd. But the causes are multifactorial because they involve aspects of animal health, regulations, international trade and climate, among others, according to the sectoral sources consulted by Efeagro. And 2023 was a year in which all feed prices have fallen between 8 and 30%, depending on the species and category, due to raw materials (cereals especially) that also fell dramatically after a 2022 in which they were shot due to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. Thus, in 2023 corn depreciated by 28.13%; wheat did almost 31% and barley more than 29%; while on the other hand, in protein crops, soy flour remained quite stable. The association of compound animal food manufacturers (Cesfac) estimates that production ...