Romania is planning to increase its pig population to achieve pork self-sufficiency by 2026 with an expected population of 5 million pigs, and further to 8.7 million by 2029 to completely stop pork imports. The government has a comprehensive livestock industry development plan that includes substantial investments in meat and dairy production, with the pig industry set to receive the largest state aid of RON 2.8 billion (€0.56 billion). The country also aims to strengthen its food processing industry, particularly meat processing, investing €1.7 billion to become a leading processor in Southeast Europe, and also plans to expand into ready-to-eat food production for potential exports.