After a strong performance in 2025, Brazil’s pork industry remains optimistic about 2026. Analysts forecast rising exports, moderate production growth and the maintenance of high prices on both domestic and international markets.

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Iowa — a key agricultural state — against the backdrop of rising tension across the American farm belt. Weak corn and hog markets, high production costs, and delays in biofuel policy decisions are testing farmers’ support, Reuters reports.

In 2025, pork production in Vietnam increased by 4% to nearly 5.4 million tonnes. The growth was achieved despite significant herd losses in the second half of the year caused by the spread of African swine fever (ASF), according to the country’s General Statistics Office.

In 2025, China significantly increased its domestic pork production, reaching a record high, while imports of pork products continued to fall. This trend indicates growing self-sufficiency in the world’s largest pork market.

Starting on 2 March 2026, the AgriAcademy platform will host a free online course titled “Pig Welfare: Best Practices and Inspection Essentials”, developed with the participation of experts from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The training will help producers, veterinarians and inspectors master practical tools for implementing the new animal welfare requirements that came into force in Ukraine on 1 January 2026.

Estonia’s Ministry of Agriculture has announced a €75 million programme to restore the country’s pig sector, including the construction of six new pig farms. The initiative is intended to offset losses following a series of African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in 2025, when the country lost nearly a quarter of its pig population.

Latvia has recorded an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) at one of the country’s largest industrial pig farms — SIA Vaiņodes bekons, which keeps more than 22,000 pigs. The state Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) has established a quarantine zone, restricted the movement of animals and products, and is launching measures to eliminate the outbreak.

The European Parliament has decided to refer the trade agreement between the EU and the Latin American bloc Mercosur to the Court of Justice of the European Union for legal review. This move is likely to delay the deal’s full approval by around a year and a half and further heightens political tensions around the agreement, which has already sparked protests by farmers in many European countries.

In 2025, Spain imported 4.78 million live pigs, up 12% year-on-year. The Netherlands remained the main supplier, while Belgium, Portugal and France played a key role in the segment of animals imported for slaughter.

The free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur countries could begin to take effect under a provisional application regime as early as March 2026, following the first ratification by a South American member. At the same time, the deal has faced political resistance in Europe and risks being delayed due to a referral to the EU’s top court.

Germany’s pig farms will need around €4.4 billion in investments to transition to modern sow housing systems and free-farrowing pens, according to an estimate published by the German pig farmers’ union ISN, based on a producer survey conducted at the end of 2025.

The market for slaughter-weight pigs is showing price stabilisation in the second half of January, according to the results of the weekly procurement price monitoring conducted by the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders.

In 2024, pork remained the leading type of meat produced in the European Union, but the fastest growth came from the poultry sector, while output of beef, sheep meat and goat meat continued to fall. This is shown by Eurostat data published in the Key figures on the European food chain – 2025 edition report.

The free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc could expand Brazilian pork access to the EU market, but its short-term impact on Brazil’s exports is expected to be limited due to the small quota. This is stated in an analytical assessment by the research center Cepea.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, China increased pork production by 7% year-on-year to 15.7 million tonnes. The growth was driven by accelerated slaughtering as producers sought to reduce herd sizes amid overcapacity and falling prices, Reuters reports.

The European Union and the South American bloc Mercosur signed a free trade agreement on January 17, which is expected to become the largest trade pact in the EU’s history. The document предусматриває lower tariffs and an expansion of bilateral trade, but it still requires approval by the European Parliament and ratification by the legislatures of Mercosur member states before it can enter into force.

South Korea has recorded its first case of African swine fever (ASF) in nearly two months. The virus was detected at a pig farm in Gangwon Province, prompting authorities to begin mass culling and impose temporary restrictions to prevent further spread of the disease.

Catalonia’s pig sector has suffered losses of more than €60 million due to an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar near Barcelona, despite no cases being detected on farms. Against the backdrop of export restrictions, a sharp price decline, and rising administrative pressure, farmers are urging authorities to ease regulatory pressure and delay the introduction of new requirements.

The Philippines has lifted a temporary ban on imports of pork and pork products from Poland, reopening one of the most promising markets in Southeast Asia for Polish exporters. The restrictions had been introduced as a protective measure against African swine fever (ASF).