Analysts from the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders (AUPB) summarized Ukraine’s pork export and import performance from January to September 2025.

The Edem farming enterprise from the Lviv region has become one of the first in Ukraine to implement a contract pig fattening model — a modern cooperation format between producers that allows for more efficient resource use and expansion of production without significant capital investment. The farm’s owner, Zoya Chaklosh, shared her experience in Kurkul.com’s special project “Feeding Other People’s Pigs Is Profitable — The Contract Fattening Model.”

On September 24, 2025, the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) adopted its position on a reform aimed at simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The proposal received 38 votes in favor, 8 against, and 2 abstentions. The reform seeks to reduce bureaucracy for farmers, make environmental requirements more flexible, and expand access to financial support.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revised its 2025 pork production forecast, cutting projected output by approximately 90,000 tonnes due to a tighter supply of slaughter-ready hogs and slightly lower average carcass weights. The adjustment was detailed in the September Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook report.

One of the largest U.S. meat processing companies, Tyson Foods, has agreed to pay $85 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by consumers who accused the company and its competitors of colluding to inflate pork prices by artificially limiting supply. The news was reported by Reuters.

The European Commission has released new data on pig slaughter across the 27 EU member states, showing continued growth in volumes during the first half of 2025. From January to June, 111.89 million pigs were processed at European slaughterhouses — 1.6 million more than in the same period of 2024 (110.13 million). For comparison, in 2023 the figure was below 110 million. However, compared to ten years ago, current slaughter levels are 7.7% lower.

On the night of October 3, the agricultural enterprise Svitanok, located in the Novovodolazka community of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, suffered a devastating drone strike by Russian forces. According to preliminary estimates by the company’s management, around 13,000 pigs out of a total of 15,000 were killed in the attack. The financial losses are projected to reach ₴300 million (approximately $7.5 million), Suspilne Kharkiv reported.

On the night of October 3, кussian forces carried out a massive strike on an agricultural enterprise in the Novovodolazka community of Kharkiv region, killing around 13,000 pigs. The attack was confirmed by community head Oleksandr Yesin in a comment to Suspilne.

The US government is preparing a large-scale support package for American farmers after China refused to purchase soybeans from the autumn harvest due to the ongoing trade standoff between Washington and Beijing. The announcement was made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to Reuters.

Estonia has officially lifted the state of emergency introduced due to African swine fever (ASF). According to the Agriculture and Food Board (PTA), all pigs on farms where outbreaks were confirmed have been culled and initial disinfection has been completed.

Procurement prices for slaughter pigs have been holding steady for the past six weeks. Analysts of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders report stability in quotations on the industrial pork market, citing the results of their weekly monitoring of procurement prices.

This week, Taiwan is hosting a senior official from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) — Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Luke J. Lindberg. The visit was announced by the American Institute in Taiwan, which serves as the de facto U.S. embassy on the island.

European pig farming is showing moderate growth: in the first six months of 2025, EU pork production increased by 3% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 10.91 million tonnes. This represents an additional 341,000 tonnes of meat.

African swine fever (ASF) continues to deal severe blows to European pig farming. One of the most notable cases was the outbreak at the large Ekseko farm in Estonia, owned by Maag Agro. Due to the epidemic, management announced collective layoffs — 44 employees, or a quarter of the company’s pig farming division, will lose their jobs.

Brazilian meat products are gaining new opportunities in the international market as Azerbaijan has officially opened its borders to imports of thermo-processed poultry and pork. The news was announced by the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), which noted that Azerbaijani health authorities made the decision following negotiations with Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, and his team.

At the beginning of September, the prices of live pigs and pork in Brazil held steady. This was reported by researchers from the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (Cepea), who highlighted a balance between supply and demand in key markets.

On September 5, China announced the introduction of new tariffs on pork imports from EU countries, a development seen as the most significant news of the month—and possibly the year—for Spain. From now on, each exporter will face different tariff rates depending on the results of China’s anti-dumping investigation. For most Spanish companies, the tariff has been set at 20%, while Litera Meats, thanks to its full cooperation with Chinese authorities, will pay a reduced rate of 15.6%.