According to official Eurostat data, the total EU pig population declined by 685,000 head, or 0.5%, in 2025 compared with the previous year. Over the longer term, however, the decline remains substantial: compared with 2020, the number of pigs in the European Union has fallen by around 10%.
Spain, the EU’s largest pork-producing country, accounted for the biggest share of the decline in 2025. Its pig herd fell by 3%, or 919,600 head, to 33.6 million.
An even sharper decline was recorded in the Netherlands, where the herd fell by 7% to 9.5 million head.
At the same time, pig numbers increased in several key producing countries. Germany recorded a 1% rise to 21.5 million head, Denmark saw a 6% increase to 12.3 million, and Poland’s herd grew by 2% to 9.2 million head.
In terms of the EU herd structure, Spain accounts for 26%, Germany for 16%, Denmark and France for 9% each, and Poland for 7%.
Breeding Herd Records Slight Increase for the First Time
The trend in sow numbers is particularly important for the market, as it determines potential production volumes in subsequent periods.
In 2025, the EU breeding sow herd stood at 10.3 million head, up 0.8%, or 76,900 head, from a year earlier.
However, compared with 2015, the number of sows remains 13% lower.
The largest increase was recorded in Spain, where sow numbers rose by 3% to 2.7 million head.
By contrast, the breeding herd in the Netherlands declined by 2% to 786,000 head, partly due to voluntary farm buyout and closure schemes.
AHDB notes that the slight increase in the breeding herd may so far indicate more of a pause in the long-term decline than a full reversal of the trend.
Piglet Numbers Reach Highest Level in a Decade
The most notable change occurred in the category of piglets weighing under 20 kg.
Their number increased by 6.1% in 2025 to 42.4 million head, the highest level recorded in the past ten years.
Denmark accounted for the largest increase, with piglet numbers surging by 55% to 6.6 million head.
This may be linked to improved productivity, including more piglets per sow, better feed conversion, genetic progress and further specialisation of farms.
Strong demand for Danish live pigs remains another important factor. In 2025, exports reached a record 18.5 million head, 1% more than a year earlier.
Piglet numbers also increased in other countries: by 5% in Germany, 3.4% in Poland and 1.6% in Spain.
This suggests that the EU’s smaller breeding herd is nevertheless capable of delivering higher productivity overall.
More Heavy Finishing Pigs
Another trend is the increase in the number of pigs weighing 110 kg or more.
In 2025, there were 10.5 million such pigs, 7.6% more than a year earlier and 24% more than in 2015.
The largest increase was recorded in Spain. At the same time, the number of pigs in this weight category fell by 10.3% in Germany, 8.2% in Italy and 15.8% in Belgium.
The share of pigs weighing 110 kg or more within the total population of pigs weighing over 50 kg increased from 14.5% in 2015 to 19.5% in 2025.
Meanwhile, the overall finishing pig population remains 12.3% below its 2020 peak, although it did not decline further in 2025.
EU Pork Supply Could Stabilise
After several years of herd contraction, signs of stabilisation are becoming more visible.
The EU’s latest short-term outlook forecasts pork production growth of just 0.3% in 2026, meaning output is expected to remain broadly stable.
For the United Kingdom, this could mean stronger competition from imported European pork and less support for domestic prices.
At the same time, the growing concentration of breeding animals in Spain and Denmark could strengthen the role of these countries in shaping future piglet and pork supplies on the European market.
Key risks include regulatory changes in Denmark, which could affect production and export volumes, as well as African swine fever (ASF). The virus was recently detected in wild boar in Finland for the first time, while outbreaks in domestic pigs have been recorded in Hungary.
PigUA.info, based on materials from ahdb.org.uk