December 30, 2008

Pig numbers continue falling in Germany

Pig numbers continue to fall in Germany, according to statistics shown by the German market and price reporting agency.

The number of swine dropped to 26.4 million in November 2008 making the total number of animals available for slaughter in 2009 unlikely to be any higher than in 2008.

The most significant declines were seen in the sow herds, where numbers have fallen by 5.9 percent in the past year.

The number of producers within the German pig industry is also declining, with 16.7 percent of German pig rearing businesses closing down in the past year.

Falling pig numbers have been reported in many other parts of the EU, most notably in Denmark, where the global credit crunch has hit the industry hard.