According to data from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), shipments to Spain increased by 13.2% to 2.67 million head, while exports to Germany fell by 16.9% to 2.22 million. This trend reflects broader changes in the European pig sector and a redistribution of production capacities.
Overall, most key markets recorded a decline in imports. Shipments to Belgium-Luxembourg decreased by 6.4%, to Romania by 35.3%, and to Austria by 14.6%. Meanwhile, Poland showed a partial recovery after several years of sharp declines, although volumes remain below previous levels.
Long-term trends point to structural changes in the industry. Over the past decade, Germany has reduced its imports of Dutch piglets by more than half from a peak of 4.6 million in 2017, in line with the restructuring of its pig sector.
In contrast, Spain has shown sustained growth, increasing its imports more than thirteenfold—from just over 190,000 head in 2016 to 2.67 million in 2025—driven by improved competitiveness and the expansion of finishing and slaughter capacity.
Overall, the EU piglet market is gradually shifting geographically, with demand moving toward southern Europe, while traditional importing countries continue to scale back purchases.
PigUA.info, based on pig333.com