November 8, 2012

Hungary's pig figures decline by 40%

Pig figures in Hungary have fell by about 40% in a decade, according to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH).

In 2001, the reported number of finishers in Hungary was 4.8 million. A total of 2.4 million was kept in integrated farms; the other 2.4 million lived at family farms. The total number of finishers in 2011 was only three million - a decrease of 37%. The majority of finishers could be found on integrated farms (2.2 million), whereas only 867,000 could be found on smaller family farms.

Pig numbers have also come down sharply in the last decade. In 2001, Hungary was reported to have 343,000 sows; in 2011 this number had shrunk to 210,000 sows - a 38.8% decrease.

In the poultry sector, numbers have come down as well. Differences, however, are not as strong as in the pig industry. In 2001, 34.3 million head of chickens could be found in Hungary - ten years later, it was 32.9 million.