According to Defra, pork output reached 256.8 thousand tonnes in January–March, up 5.3% compared to the same period in 2025. Notably, production also slightly exceeded Q4 2025 levels (+0.5%), despite typically stronger demand in the final quarter of the year.
March proved particularly dynamic: production rose by 9% compared to February and by 11% year-on-year. Overall, 2.6 million pigs were slaughtered in Q1 (+2.3% y/y), including 925,500 head in March alone — 10% more than in the previous month.
Regional dynamics were uneven: slaughter in England and Wales increased by 4%, accounting for around 80% of total output, while Northern Ireland recorded a 3% decline and Scotland saw a sharper drop of 17%.
A key factor behind production growth was the increase in average carcase weights. In Q1, this reached 94.2 kg — 3 kg higher than a year earlier. Although weights eased slightly in March, they remain at elevated levels, partly due to a backlog of pigs caused by processing delays.
Industry participants note that actual slaughter volumes have exceeded earlier forecasts, prompting a revision of production outlooks for 2026. This suggests continued strong supply on the market, with potential implications for price dynamics in the coming months.
PigUA.info based on ahdb.org.uk