Pig industry in Poland heads deeper into crisis

Currently, the industry is not in the best shape, which is equally true for the breeding and processing segment, Różański said. He added that the pig population in the country plummeted to the lowest level in several decades and kept declining. The key issue hindering the industry’s development, he claimed, is a lack of stability.

To a large extent, African swine fever (ASF) is to blame. ASF keeps raging not only in Europe but also in China, sending shockwaves through the global market. As a result, pig farms in Poland in the past few years were less profitable than before, while some see their marginality diving into a red zone.

Różański disclosed that 40,000 pig farmers in Poland curtailed operations last year, and this trend continued in 2023.

“On average, a dozen farms close their doors each day. This problem is especially alarming for small breeders,” Różański said. “The problems in the breeding segment have a direct impact on the meat processors and slaughterhouses, who find it difficult to source live pigs.”