EU pork prices have continued to fall since the summer of 2024, mainly due to the dual impact of increased supply and weak domestic consumption. From the beginning of August to the end of December, the average EU carcass price fell by RMB 1.86/kg.
European pork prices fell significantly in the first few weeks of 2025, and as of February 9, the EU average price fell to RMB 14.42/kg. However, as of the week of March 30, the price had rebounded to RMB 15.25/kg.
This sudden drop and then recovery trend in the first quarter of 2025 was mainly due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany. The epidemic led to an export ban in Germany from January to the end of March until a regionalized trade license was obtained. As Germany is a major pork exporter, this ban put downward pressure on the entire market.
The full-year data for 2024 shows that EU pork production continues to grow compared with 2023. Total production in 2024 reached 21 million tons (20.6 million tons in 2023), an increase of 2%. Poland will see the most significant growth, with an increase of 136,000 tonnes (+7.7%) in 2024. Most major producers will see stable growth: Spain (+1.0%), Germany (+1.7%), but the Netherlands will see a significant drop of 76,000 tonnes (-5.2%).
The increase in slaughter is less significant than production. In 2024, the total EU slaughter will reach 221 million head, up 0.8% from 2023. Poland will again see a significant increase of 5.4%, while the Netherlands will see a drop of 5.8%. The reduction in Dutch production is mainly due to a sharp drop in sow stocks, which fell by 14% between December 2023 and December 2024, due to the government's environmental policies. Major producers Spain and Germany will see a small increase in slaughter, at 0.8% and 1% respectively. The lower growth in slaughter than in production reflects the year-on-year increase in average slaughter weight in all major producing countries. This phenomenon is particularly evident outside the two major producing countries (Spain and Germany): France, Poland and Denmark have increased their live weight per head by 1.0 kg, 2.1 kg and 3.9 kg respectively.
In 2024, total imports of pork (including by-products) within the EU will reach 7.03 million tons (+1.2%), but it is still 2.1% lower than the level in 2022. Exports will increase by 1% compared with 2023, but will still fall sharply by 9.5% compared with 2022.
Although Spain is a relatively small importer of pork in the EU (accounting for 2.9% of the EU's total imports), its imports in 2024 surged by 16.8% year-on-year. This is reportedly due to the fact that the growth rate of slaughter weight cannot keep up with domestic demand, and Spanish slaughterhouses have turned to imports from Belgium and the Netherlands to fulfill contracts. Imports from Italy, the largest pork importer in the EU, increased significantly by 75,000 tons (+6.9%). In contrast, Germany's imports decreased by 53,000 tons (-5.8%) due to increased domestic production.
In 2024, the EU will import 137,000 tons of pork from markets outside the EU, down 7.3% from 2023. The main import sources are still the UK (accounting for 75% of the total), Chile (10%) and Switzerland (8%). However, imports from the UK fell by 2.7% in 2024, which may be the result of the improvement of EU domestic supply and the widening price gap that weakened the attractiveness of British pork. In terms of exports, Spain, the largest exporter to the EU, saw a decrease in exports of 22,000 tons (-0.9%). Germany, the second largest exporter of pork (including by-products), saw an increase in exports of 45,000 tons (+2.4%), which echoed its domestic production growth. Italy also showed an 8% export growth. In 2024, the total EU exports of pork and by-products to markets outside the EU were 3.9 million tons, down 0.3% year-on-year. China remained the largest export destination for EU pork, but exports decreased by 47,000 tons (-3.9%), of which frozen by-products accounted for 53%. Although exports to the UK declined due to the widening price gap in the second half of 2024, it only decreased slightly by 3,500 tons, and the export products were mainly fresh and frozen pork (43%) and sausages (20%).
European pork prices fell significantly in the first few weeks of 2025, and as of February 9, the EU average price fell to RMB 14.42/kg. However, as of the week of March 30, the price had rebounded to RMB 15.25/kg.
This sudden drop and then recovery trend in the first quarter of 2025 was mainly due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany. The epidemic led to an export ban in Germany from January to the end of March until a regionalized trade license was obtained. As Germany is a major pork exporter, this ban put downward pressure on the entire market.
The full-year data for 2024 shows that EU pork production continues to grow compared with 2023. Total production in 2024 reached 21 million tons (20.6 million tons in 2023), an increase of 2%. Poland will see the most significant growth, with an increase of 136,000 tonnes (+7.7%) in 2024. Most major producers will see stable growth: Spain (+1.0%), Germany (+1.7%), but the Netherlands will see a significant drop of 76,000 tonnes (-5.2%).
The increase in slaughter is less significant than production. In 2024, the total EU slaughter will reach 221 million head, up 0.8% from 2023. Poland will again see a significant increase of 5.4%, while the Netherlands will see a drop of 5.8%. The reduction in Dutch production is mainly due to a sharp drop in sow stocks, which fell by 14% between December 2023 and December 2024, due to the government's environmental policies. Major producers Spain and Germany will see a small increase in slaughter, at 0.8% and 1% respectively. The lower growth in slaughter than in production reflects the year-on-year increase in average slaughter weight in all major producing countries. This phenomenon is particularly evident outside the two major producing countries (Spain and Germany): France, Poland and Denmark have increased their live weight per head by 1.0 kg, 2.1 kg and 3.9 kg respectively.
In 2024, total imports of pork (including by-products) within the EU will reach 7.03 million tons (+1.2%), but it is still 2.1% lower than the level in 2022. Exports will increase by 1% compared with 2023, but will still fall sharply by 9.5% compared with 2022.
Although Spain is a relatively small importer of pork in the EU (accounting for 2.9% of the EU's total imports), its imports in 2024 surged by 16.8% year-on-year. This is reportedly due to the fact that the growth rate of slaughter weight cannot keep up with domestic demand, and Spanish slaughterhouses have turned to imports from Belgium and the Netherlands to fulfill contracts. Imports from Italy, the largest pork importer in the EU, increased significantly by 75,000 tons (+6.9%). In contrast, Germany's imports decreased by 53,000 tons (-5.8%) due to increased domestic production.
In 2024, the EU will import 137,000 tons of pork from markets outside the EU, down 7.3% from 2023. The main import sources are still the UK (accounting for 75% of the total), Chile (10%) and Switzerland (8%). However, imports from the UK fell by 2.7% in 2024, which may be the result of the improvement of EU domestic supply and the widening price gap that weakened the attractiveness of British pork. In terms of exports, Spain, the largest exporter to the EU, saw a decrease in exports of 22,000 tons (-0.9%). Germany, the second largest exporter of pork (including by-products), saw an increase in exports of 45,000 tons (+2.4%), which echoed its domestic production growth. Italy also showed an 8% export growth. In 2024, the total EU exports of pork and by-products to markets outside the EU were 3.9 million tons, down 0.3% year-on-year. China remained the largest export destination for EU pork, but exports decreased by 47,000 tons (-3.9%), of which frozen by-products accounted for 53%. Although exports to the UK declined due to the widening price gap in the second half of 2024, it only decreased slightly by 3,500 tons, and the export products were mainly fresh and frozen pork (43%) and sausages (20%).