June 6, 2022

Second straight year of drop in France's 2021 pig production

At 23.7 million head, France's pig production suffered a slight decline of 1% in 2021, a second consecutive year of decreases.

Over the last 10 years, the average decrease has been 0.6% per year. This decrease reflects a 3.4% reduction in the pig herd. At the end of 2021, it stood at 12.9 million head, representing 9.1% of the European herd.

The reduction in the herd took place in a context of a clear deterioration in the profitability of swine farms. In 10 years, France's pig herd has declined by an average of 0.7% per year. Its breeding herd (sows and boars) has seen the greatest decline over the past ten years, representing 7.3% of the total herd in 2021 compared to 8.0% in 2011.

The decrease in French production comes against a backdrop of a recovery in global pork production (+4.2%) after falling by 1.4% in 2020 and 9.0% in 2019.

- Agreste (France)