New data from the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) point to a stable supply situation on the live pig market. Between January and April 2026, a total of 15.05 million pigs were commercially slaughtered in Germany, only 0.1% fewer than during the same period in 2025, when 15.07 million pigs were slaughtered.
Analysts note that these figures do not support the common assumption that oversupply is the primary reason for declining pork prices. On the contrary, the live pig market remains relatively balanced, while pig inventories have stabilized at historically low levels after several years of significant herd reductions.
According to the latest livestock census data and forecasts from the German Pig Farmers’ Association (ISN), the number of slaughter pigs in 2026 is expected to increase by only 0.3% compared with the previous year. This suggests that current supply conditions are likely to remain largely unchanged throughout the year.
Seasonal factors also remain important. Traditionally, slaughter volumes in June are 5–7% lower than during the autumn and winter months, further limiting the supply of market-ready pigs during the summer period.
At the European level, the situation is somewhat more complex. Although complete EU slaughter statistics are currently available only for January, preliminary figures from major pig-producing countries indicate that slaughter volumes across the European Union were slightly higher than a year earlier during the first months of 2026.
However, the European Commission expects pork production to decline during the second half of the year. Based on reductions in sow inventories across EU member states, the Commission forecasts a 1% decrease in pig slaughter numbers for the whole of 2026.
Market experts emphasize that the main reasons behind the lack of positive price momentum should be sought on the demand side rather than the supply side.
In particular, the EU internal market remains well supplied with pork, partly due to difficulties in exporting to third-country markets. Restrictions affecting access to some export destinations have resulted in larger volumes of pork remaining within the EU, intensifying competition among producers.
In addition, market participants point to restrained consumer spending amid economic uncertainty and high household costs, which continue to limit opportunities for price growth.
As a result, data from the first months of 2026 confirm that the German pork sector is not facing a problem of excessive live pig supply. Instead, the key challenge remains the marketing of pork products and the need to stimulate additional demand both within the EU and in international markets.
PigUA.info, based on materials from euromeatnews.com