The discussion around the use of vaccines against African swine fever (ASF) has resurfaced in the professional community. However, experts stress that as of today, there is no registered and internationally recognized ASF vaccine either in Ukraine or in the European Union. This was highlighted by Oksana Yurchenko, President of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, in a podcast.

Amid a prolonged price slump and oversupply in the mass pork market, Chinese consumers are increasingly choosing traditional “black pork,” considering it higher in quality and taste. Rising demand for this premium product is creating new opportunities for producers who are suffering losses in the conventional segment.

In 2026, the global pork industry will show uneven production dynamics amid ongoing shifts in international trade. Biosecurity, animal diseases, high investment costs, and trade restrictions will shape supply, while producers are increasingly focusing on productivity, cost reduction, and cautious expansion.

New cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been recorded in wild boar in Catalonia near Barcelona. All detections are within the already established surveillance zone, while pig farms in the region remain disease-free. Authorities are strengthening monitoring and will deploy drones with thermal cameras for nighttime animal detection.

A new podcast featuring Oksana Yurchenko, President of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, has been released on the “Minselo” YouTube channel. The discussion focused on the real state of Ukraine’s pig sector, its key risks, and the challenges arising in the context of European integration.

The European Union and India have agreed on a free trade agreement that opens access to a market of nearly 2 billion consumers and creates new opportunities for selected agricultural and processing sectors, while maintaining protection for “sensitive” areas of agriculture.

The international genetics company Hendrix Genetics, together with its Chinese partner Huanshan Group, has opened a new nucleus facility — the Hendrix Huanshan Nucleus Farm — in Anhui province in eastern China. The project aims to accelerate genetic progress in pig production and strengthen local breeding capacity.

At the end of January, prices for live slaughter pigs are rebounding, analysts of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders report, citing the results of the Association’s weekly monitoring of procurement prices.

After a strong performance in 2025, Brazil’s pork industry remains optimistic about 2026. Analysts forecast rising exports, moderate production growth and the maintenance of high prices on both domestic and international markets.

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Iowa — a key agricultural state — against the backdrop of rising tension across the American farm belt. Weak corn and hog markets, high production costs, and delays in biofuel policy decisions are testing farmers’ support, Reuters reports.

In 2025, pork production in Vietnam increased by 4% to nearly 5.4 million tonnes. The growth was achieved despite significant herd losses in the second half of the year caused by the spread of African swine fever (ASF), according to the country’s General Statistics Office.

In 2025, China significantly increased its domestic pork production, reaching a record high, while imports of pork products continued to fall. This trend indicates growing self-sufficiency in the world’s largest pork market.

Starting on 2 March 2026, the AgriAcademy platform will host a free online course titled “Pig Welfare: Best Practices and Inspection Essentials”, developed with the participation of experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The training will help producers, veterinarians and inspectors master practical tools for implementing the new animal welfare requirements that came into force in Ukraine on 1 January 2026.

Estonia’s Ministry of Agriculture has announced a €75 million programme to restore the country’s pig sector, including the construction of six new pig farms. The initiative is intended to offset losses following a series of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in 2025, when the country lost nearly a quarter of its pig population.

Latvia has recorded an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) at one of the country’s largest industrial pig farms — SIA Vaiņodes bekons, which keeps more than 22,000 pigs. The state Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) has established a quarantine zone, restricted the movement of animals and products, and is launching measures to eliminate the outbreak.

The European Parliament has decided to refer the trade agreement between the EU and the Latin American bloc Mercosur to the Court of Justice of the European Union for legal review. This move is likely to delay the deal’s full approval by around a year and a half and further heightens political tensions around the agreement, which has already sparked protests by farmers in many European countries.

In 2025, Spain imported 4.78 million live pigs, up 12% year-on-year. The Netherlands remained the main supplier, while Belgium, Portugal and France played a key role in the segment of animals imported for slaughter.

The free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries could begin to take effect under a provisional application regime as early as March 2026, following the first ratification by a South American member. At the same time, the deal has faced political resistance in Europe and risks being delayed due to a referral to the EU’s top court.

Germany’s pig farms will need around €4.4 billion in investments to transition to modern sow housing systems and free-farrowing pens, according to an estimate published by the German pig farmers’ union ISN, based on a producer survey conducted at the end of 2025.

The market for slaughter-weight pigs is showing price stabilisation in the second half of January, according to the results of the weekly procurement price monitoring conducted by the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders.