Restructuring is on the horizon for the EU swine industry

High feed and energy prices and environmental restrictions are pressing swine farmers in the European Union (EU), leading to a reduction in operations. Additional factors the industry faces are African swine fever outbreaks in Central Europe and the reduced demand for pork from China. With declining sales to China, EU exporters have diversified their export destinations. However, these alternative, mainly Asian, markets cannot make up for the lost volumes shipped to China. Furthermore, domestic consumption is dwindling, particularly in Germany. These negative market factors collectively led to a record drop in the total swine and sow stock in 2022. With a smaller breeding herd, the supply of animals for slaughter will inevitably fall this year. The lower availability of animals for slaughter will also encourage the sector to restructure. In 2023, pork ...