Poland’s pig sector has presented a recovery strategy that aims to increase the sow herd, fully supply domestic slaughter with Polish-produced piglets, raise pork production to around 2 million tonnes per year and achieve ASF-free status. The plan was presented to Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski on 7 October during a meeting with the Polish Pork Forum.

AHDB has commissioned London Economics to carry out an updated assessment of the economic impact of a potential African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in Great Britain. The study will examine different disease-spread scenarios, the impact on trade, producer incomes, processing operations and the resilience of the pig sector as a whole.

During the first four months of the Interim Trade Agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, the value of Argentina’s agro-industrial exports to the EU reached $1.922 billion — 21% above the average for the same period over the previous three years. The strongest growth was recorded in exports of beef and sheep products, animal feed and food ingredients.

Global pork trade flows have changed significantly since the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in China in 2018. According to RaboResearch’s World Pork Map 2026, China remains an important market, but its role as an importer is declining, while Mexico has become the world’s largest importer of pork excluding offal, and Brazil has consolidated its position as the third-largest global exporter.

In August 2026, the United States exported 222,200 tonnes of pork and pork variety meats, down 6% from a year earlier. Export value fell by 12% to $606.3 million. The main reason was lower shipments to Mexico amid a recovery in domestic pork production and weaker demand for hams.

China has expanded market access for Brazilian pork by authorising imports of a broader range of offal and by-products. According to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), the new conditions could enable shipments of more than 100,000 tonnes of such products per year and generate over $100 million in additional revenue for Brazil’s pork sector.

The financial situation in the Dutch pig sector has deteriorated noticeably in 2026 after three exceptionally strong years. According to ABN AMRO, low pig and piglet prices are not enough to offset high costs for feed, manure disposal, labour and energy, meaning farm liquidity is expected to continue declining over the next six months.

German pig producers are increasingly prioritising secure sales, reduced price risk and liquidity. According to the 2026 ISN survey, 68% of finishing pig producers are willing to enter into contracts if these provide guaranteed market access and acceptable pricing models. At the same time, most producers insist on retaining an independent weekly mechanism for setting the base price.

The German federal state of Hesse is introducing a standardised digital system for reporting dead wild boar. The new tool is intended to speed up the detection of possible African swine fever (ASF) cases and facilitate the work of veterinary authorities.

Brazil has secured new export authorisations for pig products. China has opened its market to internal offal, skins and bones from Brazilian pigs, while Antigua and Barbuda has authorised imports of pork, meat products and offal.

Between January and September 2026, 7,455 outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) were recorded in countries covered by the ADIS system: 733 in domestic pigs and 6,722 in wild boar. The overall number of outbreaks fell by 16.6% compared with the same period of 2025, but the situation in domestic pigs remained virtually unchanged.

The Dutch government has approved a new package of measures to improve farm animal welfare, including the gradual phase-out of tail docking in pigs. The new rules will be introduced progressively through 2040, with the first provisions potentially taking effect as early as 2028.

More than 10,000 pigs have been slaughtered or culled in Switzerland following an outbreak of enzootic pneumonia in a production network spanning farms across several cantons. The canton of Lucerne has been the most severely affected, with ten breeding farms and one finishing farm placed under restrictions.

Scotland’s pig sector continues to operate under pressure from low prices and rising production costs. Despite a modest increase in pig prices in September, they remain 10–12% below last year’s levels, while sow slaughter at Scottish plants has risen by 52% compared with 2025, potentially significantly reducing the sector’s production base in 2027.

A case of African swine fever (ASF) has been confirmed in a wild boar in the Barnim district of the German state of Brandenburg — the first in the region in more than four and a half years. The infected animal was found within an already designated high-risk zone along the Oder River.

The European Commission has adopted uniform operating rules for pig and poultry farms aimed at reducing ammonia, nitrogen and phosphorus emissions. The new requirements will start to apply between 2030 and 2032, depending on farm size, and are intended to replace differing national approaches with common minimum standards.

Nine new positive cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been detected in Barcelona and surrounding municipalities. All were recorded within the designated high-risk zone, according to the Catalan government’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food.

Italy’s Legislative Decree No. 30/2026, implementing EU Directive 2024/825 on protecting consumers from misleading environmental claims, entered into force on 27 September 2026. The new rules prohibit unsubstantiated claims such as “eco”, “green” or “sustainable” and apply not only to environmental characteristics but also to social claims, including those related to animal welfare.

In January–September 2026, Brazil exported 1.192 million tonnes of pork and pork products, 6.2% more than in the same period last year. Export revenue increased by 1.3% to $2.737 billion, according to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA).

In September, prices for both live hogs and pork carcases increased in Brazil for the first time in 2026. According to Cepea, the market was supported by tighter pork supply and stronger domestic demand, although prices for some cuts declined during the month.