November 23, 2020

Canada's hog slaughters increase 3.5% in first nine months of 2020

In the first nine months of 2020 (through the week ending October 3), hog slaughters in Canada was 17.1 million head, an increase of 3.5% compared to the same period in 2019.

Slaughter at federally inspected packing plants produced 1.7 million tonnes of pork for this period in 2020 (+4.9% year-on-year) with an average carcass weight of 104kg (+1.2%).

Estimated sow/boar slaughter (federal and provincial) was up 22.8% compared to the same period in 2019 with 93,152 head.

Canadian domestic pork exports for the first nine months of 2020 totaled 1.1 million tonnes, up 18.2% from the same period in 2019 (930,838 tonnes). Domestic pork exports also increased in terms of value, totaling CDN$ 3.75 million (US$2.9 million) for the year through September, up 20.9% from the year prior.

Feeder hog exports to the United States totaled 3.13 million head so far in 2020 (through September 26), up 1.4% year on year.

Canadian fresh and frozen pork imports were up 14.8% from last year (through October 3), totaling 139,311 tonnes.

Fresh and frozen imports from the US and Germany increased 17.7% and 7.5%, respectively while imports from Denmark, Poland and Spain decreased (-13.3%, -14.3%, and -17.5%).

Total imported, processed pork increased 9% to 195,455 tonnes with imports of processed pork from Denmark increasing 49.9% and from Italy increasing 9.3%.

- Pig333 / Canadian Pork Council.