The Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis) presented an overview of the agricultural fixed assets for 2023, according to which the average number of pigs per farm in the country decreased from 826 to 810 over the past three years. This information was published on the website of the German Pig Farmers Association (ISN).
According to the organization, a study of the livestock sector in Germany is conducted every 3–4 years. Unlike regular semi-annual reports, this review includes data from small farms that have fewer than 50 pigs or fewer than 10 breeding sows.
According to Destatis, as of March 1, 2023, there were 27,600 pig farming enterprises in Germany, housing a total of 22.4 million pigs. Three years ago, these figures were 31,900 and 26.3 million, respectively.
Thus, from 2020 to 2023, the number of pig farms in the country decreased by 4,300 (13%), while the pig population decreased by 15%. At the same time, the number of farms engaged in breeding sows fell by 21% to 7,070, and the population of sows decreased by 19% to 1.4 million animals.
“Since 2020, in the context of a multifaceted crisis, there has been a clear structural shift in pig farming, especially in piglet production. Despite significant improvements in the economic situation, many pig farmers continue to feel pessimistic about the future,” said representatives of the association. The reasons for farmers' dissatisfaction include the lack of stability necessary for planning and increasing bureaucracy, which the organization believes should be promptly addressed by the federal government.
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