June 3, 2024

Portugal sees 1.8% rise in pig slaughter in Q1

The number of pigs slaughtered in Portugal in the first quarter of 2024 was 962,101 head, a 1.8% increase (+17,272 head) compared to 2023 (944,829 head), according to INE preliminary data on pig slaughter published by GPP.

Total slaughter weight increased significantly by 4.5%; on average, producers sent much heavier pigs for slaughter than in 2023. Total weight went from 81,062.1 tonnes in 2023 (85.8kg average) to 84,726.6 tonnes this year (88.1kg average).

There was also a 1.1% increase (+2,844 head) in the number of piglets slaughtered in the first quarter of 2024 (267,159) compared to the same period in 2023 (264,315). Slaughter weight increased by 2.8%, going from 1,849.1 tonnes in 2023 to 1,901.6 tonnes in 2024, with no major change in the average weight, which only increased by 100g to 7.1kg, a normal carcass weight for roasting piglets in Portugal.

As for culled breeding stock, 8,345 head were slaughtered in 2024 compared to 11,771 head in 2023 (-29.1%). Total weight fell by 27.1% from 1,714.8 tonnes in 2023 (145.7kg average weight) to 1,250.9 tonnes in 2024 (149.9kg average weight), but average carcass weight increased.

In total, 1,237,605 head of pigs were slaughtered and approved for consumption in Q1, 1.4% more than in 2023 when 1,220,915 head were slaughtered.

Total slaughter weight was 87,879.2 tonnes, 3.8% more than in 2023 when 84,625.9 tonnes were approved for consumption.

- SIMA