Spain remains the frontrunner
Spain continues to lead the European market, having slaughtered 28 million pigs in the first half of 2025. Germany ranked second with over 22 million pigs processed. Although still one of the key players in the industry, Germany’s numbers have declined significantly over the past decade — in 2015, the country processed 29.3 million pigs in the same period, nearly 7 million more than today.
Trends reflect pig population dynamics
The slaughter data align with the latest pig inventory figures across the EU. According to Eurostat, the 13 leading pig-producing countries recorded a total of 121.8 million pigs in spring 2025 — 0.5% more than a year earlier. The most significant growth was noted in Denmark (+5.6%), while Spain, the EU’s largest producer, increased its herd by 3.6%.
Breeding sow numbers continue to fall
Despite the overall increase in the total pig population, the number of breeding sows in the EU continues to decline. Among the same 13 countries, sow numbers dropped by 2.9%, except for Hungary, where they grew by 5.4%. The sharpest decline was recorded in the Netherlands (-7%), while Spain’s sow herd decreased by about 5%.
Impact on production
Experts do not expect the reduction in sow numbers in Spain to lead to lower production volumes. Analysts attribute this to improved animal health and better control of the PRRS Rosalía variant, which previously caused significant economic losses in the sector.
Overall, the EU pig industry shows signs of stabilization and moderate production growth, despite challenges related to animal health and the ongoing reduction in the breeding herd.
PigUA.info based on pigprogress.net