The latest data from AHDB shows EU pig meat production volumes to be their lowest since 2017.
June of 2022 recorded EU pig meat production volumes suffering a year-on-year decline of 5.7%, with a figure of 1.78 million tonnes. While July saw a much greater decline year-on-year, of 8.4%, with a figure of 1.66 million tonnes. This brings the 2022 estimate for EU pig meat production to-date (Jan-Jul) to a total of 12.95 million tonnes – the lowest volume since 2017.
Spain was the only country of the six key producing nations to register a year-on-year growth, by a minimal 0.2%, while Germany decreased by 10.1%, followed by Poland which is down 9.2% and Denmark by 4.0%. France and the Netherlands both saw production decreases by roughly 1.5%.
Freya Shuttleworth, AHDB analyst (dairy and livestock) suggests that such reductions are a result of lower kills, which has been fuelled by the heatwaves experienced across Europe during the months of June and July.
Estimated slaughter numbers for June and July 2022 therefore stand at 19.23 million head and 18.13 million head, a year-on-year drop of 5.2% and 7.8% respectively; to bring the estimated year to date (Jan-Jul) pig slaughter for the EU27 to 137.91 million head, the lowest kill recorded in the last five years.
