Pork demand in Japan is forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) to remain broadly unchanged in 2027 compared with the previous year. The main factor supporting consumption is pork’s price advantage over more expensive beef.

Between January and September 2026, China imported 1.44 million tonnes of pork and pork offal, down 15.3% from the same period in 2025. Compared with 2020, import volumes have fallen by 66.7%, while offal accounts for an increasingly large share of China’s pork imports.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has warned that the number of abattoirs in the UK has fallen by around 90% since the 1970s, creating risks for animal welfare and the country’s ability to respond quickly to major outbreaks of infectious disease.

An indefinite ban on the sale of pork and pork products has been imposed in the Moran area of India’s Assam state after 10 tissue samples collected from local markets tested positive for African swine fever (ASF). The restrictions also cover the movement of pigs and pig products between areas.

The Philippine Department of Agriculture has launched a preliminary investigation into the possible introduction of safeguard measures on pork imports. The department will examine whether increased foreign shipments are causing serious injury to the domestic pig sector or pose a threat of such injury.

Brazilian startup Herdian has developed an artificial intelligence-based system that monitors sow and piglet behaviour in farrowing units around the clock and alerts farm staff to the risk of piglet crushing. According to the company, on farms with mortality rates above 15%, the technology can reduce piglet losses by 30%.

The CCOO de Industria and UGT-FICA trade unions have announced a five-day strike in Spain’s meat industry from 9 to 13 November 2026. The action follows a failure to reach an agreement on a new national collective bargaining agreement, particularly regarding wage levels, working hours and other employment conditions.

Over the past two weeks, new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in domestic pigs in Europe were reported only in Moldova, Romania and Serbia. At the same time, the total number of outbreaks recorded in domestic pigs in 2026 has already reached 1,556, with the majority reported in Serbia.

Representatives of public and private hunting grounds in the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi regions were the first to take part in a series of biosecurity training sessions and simulation exercises aimed at preventing the spread of African swine fever (ASF). The training is organised by the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the “Strengthening the Resilience of Pig Production in Ukraine” project.

Spanish group Osborne, owner of ham brands Cinco Jotas and Sánchez Romero Carvajal, expects sales to fall by €2–3 million due to the impact of African swine fever (ASF). The main factor has been restrictions on access for Spanish Iberian pork products to the Mexican and Japanese markets.

Axiom continues to strengthen its international presence, bringing together expertise, local partnerships and a shared ambition to advance swine genetics worldwide.

The October report from the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) highlights the continued spread of African swine fever (ASF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) across different regions of the world. Key developments include the spread of ASF among wild boar in Finland, an outbreak on a large pig farm in Romania, and FMD cases in domestic pigs in Cyprus.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has extended the interim maximum zinc level of 3,000 mg/kg in starter pig feeds. The decision follows warnings from the pig and feed industries about potential difficulties if the limit were reduced to 300 mg/kg.

Tuberculosis (TB) has been detected in pigs on nine farms across five counties in Ireland in 2026. Laboratory testing confirmed infection with Mycobacterium bovis, the bacterium responsible for bovine tuberculosis. The Department of Agriculture said the frequency of detection in pigs has increased this year.

The municipality of Camerana in the province of Cuneo, northern Italy, has recorded its first case of African swine fever (ASF). According to an update from the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta as of 18 October 2026, the new positive case was detected in wild boar.

Sow slaughter in Scotland in 2026 is running 52% above last year’s level, raising concerns about the future scale of the country’s pig sector. According to Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), the contraction of the sow herd could lead to a significant reduction in pig supply in 2027 and affect the entire pork production chain.

The Philippine Department of Agriculture plans to temporarily suspend the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for certain pork products for 30 to 60 days starting in early November. The measure is intended to support the recovery of the domestic pig sector amid high import volumes and weak producer profitability.

Throughout October 2026, a series of training sessions with simulation exercises for hunting ground users will be held in six regions of Ukraine. Participants will practise biosecurity measures during wild boar hunting and ways to prevent the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

Antibiotic use in Dutch livestock farming declined again in 2025. According to the country’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, sales of veterinary antibiotics have fallen by 77.2% since 2009. At the same time, the broiler sector recorded a noticeable increase in antibiotic use last year.

Japan’s total pig population is forecast by USDA FAS in Tokyo to remain broadly unchanged in 2027 compared with 2026, while the sow herd is expected to decline slightly. Pork production is also projected to remain largely stable, although rising feed costs are placing increasing pressure on farm profitability.