Pig numbers record low in Poland

Poland counted a record low of pig numbers, totalling at 14.2 million, at the latest livestock count in November 2008, according to German statistics office ZMP.

Many producers have given up since feed prices went up and pig cost prices were low in the middle of 2007.

Hence, in November 2008, the numbers of pigs in Polish agricultural industry were over 3 million lower than 12 months earlier, which equals a year-on-year decrease of 19 percent.

Especially the number of piglets went down with a drop of 23 percent noted. The numbers of sows and finishers fell about 19 percent.

Parallel to the decrease in pig numbers, an increase in Polish imports could be seen. Since 2007, pork imports have been larger than exports.

According to estimates, in 2008, Poland imported 440,000 tonnes of pork whereas 250,000 tonnes were exported.

Apart from meat, Poland also bought many piglets and finishers abroad, importing an order of approximately 200,000 finishers in the Netherlands in 2008 and 510,000 piglets; from Germany, the country imported another 100,000 finishers and 220,000 piglets.

In the beginning of 2009, the Polish currency lost value against the euro, which curbed this foreign trade.