Between 2016 and 2020, the total pig population in the region remained relatively stable, fluctuating around 5.8 million head. After that, a sustained decline began.
In 2025, Flanders had 4.9 million pigs, 3% fewer than a year earlier. Compared with levels typical of the second half of the 2010s, the pig population has fallen by almost 900,000 head.
The most prolonged negative trend has been observed in the sow segment.
According to the statistical service, the number of sows in 2025 was already 43% lower than in 2005.
The decline in the breeding herd is a particularly important indicator for the sector, as it determines the potential for domestic herd replacement and future production volumes.
The 2025 data confirm that after several years of relative stability, the Flemish pig sector has entered a prolonged period of structural contraction. The most substantial changes have accumulated in the reproductive segment of the herd.
PigUA.info, based on materials from thepigsite.com