EU pig slaughter forecast to fall in 2027 on weak piglet prices

Sow stocks and inventories set to shrink to record low

EU pig slaughter is forecast to fall by 0.52% in 2027 to 229.3 million head, according to a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service livestock report on the European Union. Swine inventories are projected to decline by 0.62% to 129 million head, a record low.

Piglet prices fell significantly in 2026 after demand from the Spanish sector plummeted. As a result of the suppressed prices, the EU breeding sector is projected to start 2027 with a lower sow stock and produce fewer weaned piglets.

The largest cuts in pig crop are forecast in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Hungary, while the largest reductions in slaughter are expected in Spain and Germany.