russian pork producers are aiming to capture 10% of China's pork import market in the coming years from a standing start, seeking to take advantage of trade tensions between the European Union and China, the world's biggest pork consumer, Reuters reported. 

For the first time in 8 years, there has been a slight increase in the number of pigs slaughtered in Germany. In the first 6 months of 2024, 21.9 million pigs were slaughtered in the number #2 pig country in the European Union. That was 0.4% or 78,100 animals more than in the same period last year, the federal statistics office Destatis reported. The increase follows a decrease by 6.9% of the number of slaughtered pigs in 2023.

On August 12, 2024, Genesus Inc. announced further expansion in the global market, including in Ukraine.

African Swine Fever (ASF) virus has emerged on a small pig farm in the state Rhineland-Palatinate. It is the first time the virus emerged on a farm in that state.

Yesterday, 15 August, representatives of the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service visited the offices of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, the Ukrainian Agri Council (UAC) and the Association of Milk Producers (AMP).

The French small-scale pig farming model is, according to sector organisation Inaporc, unique in Europe and even in the world. A French pig farm holds on average 214 sows compared to over 1,000 in Denmark or the Netherlands, over 10,000 in the USA and not to mention the massive multi-storey pig farms in China.

Danish Crown has announced it is to increasing its use of immunocastration to address the problem of boar taint in male pigs.

China’s pig prices are expected to fall in the second half of the year amid ample supplies and sluggish demand, according to the world’s top pork producer.

US June pork exports were lower year-over-year, shipments through the first half of the year remained ahead of the record value pace of 2023, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

The European Union has raised serious concerns over Italy’s efforts to combat the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), labeling the country’s current measures as insufficient. The European Commission has urged Rome to step up its actions to contain the virus, which poses a significant threat to the swine industry across Europe.

Yet another state in western Germany is reporting the likely presence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in its wild boar population. The virus appears to have emerged in a population in Baden-Württemberg.

During the war in Ukraine, it is especially important to support the pig industry to ensure the country's food security. The joint project of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders (AUPB) “Keeping Animal Health in Ukraine” is aimed at increasing biosecurity and improving veterinary standards in pig production.

Beyond Meat beat estimates for second-quarter revenue on Wednesday and raised the lower end of its sales forecast for the year, as it benefited from a string of price increases on its plant-based faux meat burger patties and sausages, reported Reuters. 

In early August, prices for slaughter pigs continued to rise, as evidenced by the results of the weekly monitoring of purchase prices by the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders.

Dmytro Rozhko, CEO of one of Ukraine's leading pig farms, Pryluky-GarantBud LLC, is in the US to establish links with local producers and represent the Ukrainian pig industry.

For the week ending 27 July, the EU spec SPP stood at 209.54p/kg, a minor gain of 0.13p on the previous week. The SPP now sits 0.87p behind the end of June (w/e 29 June), however weekly movements were mixed with larger losses in weeks ending 06 July and 20 July outweighing the smaller gains made in the other two weeks of the month.

Consumption is falling except in Germany and Italy. This trend is explained by food insecurity and ready-to-eat products.

 Exports of pork exceed imports for the second month in a row, according to the analytical department of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, citing preliminary customs statistics from the State Customs Service.

Germany has detected another case of African swine fever (ASF) in a wild boar. The case was detected in the state of Hesse in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg. It is the first positive ASF case in the district, according to German pig group ISN. 

Not only is Germany fighting with African Swine Fever (ASF), but also in Italy the virus has found its way again to swine farms. In the northern regions, 6 farms have reported infections, with altogether at least 76 infected pigs.