Swine news - Present

Live pig exports (piglets for finishing and pigs for slaughter) fell by 10.3% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period of the previous year.

The first half of 2026 presented a mixed picture for Chile’s pork industry: while hog slaughter and pork production remained virtually stable, exports continued to decline as imports increased significantly, bringing apparent consumption to its strongest semester of the 2022–2026 series.

Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, met with his Philippine counterpart, Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., to discuss new avenues for collaboration in the agricultural and fisheries sectors and to strengthen trade relations between Spain and the Philippines.

The first half of 2026 was the best of the past five years for hog slaughter in Colombia: the national cumulative total accelerated sharply after two years of moderate growth, making June the second-highest month in the entire 2022–2026 series, behind only December 2025.

The agreement will define technical cooperation in Panamanian agriculture and rural development for the next five years.

Competitive dynamics are reshaping global pork exporter positions. Brazil has surpassed Canada to become the world’s third-largest pork exporter, after the EU and US.

The number of pigs for slaughter decreased by 10.1% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

Global pork trade has shifted away from a China-driven model toward a more fragmented and regionally distributed market.

A technical mission from the regional organization evaluated the Animal Health Epidemiological Surveillance System and trained regional officials.

African swine fever was found in a wild boar 40 km west of the previous infected zone boundary.

The first African swine fever vaccine for fatteners has been cleared for public sale.

FEFAC’s national feed industry associations confirmed significant adverse impacts from repeated heatwaves in many EU Member States.

The European Parliament's AGRI Committee proposes reinstating the thresholds of 2,000 places for pigs and 750 for sows under the Directive.

According to ANICE, Spanish pork exports to Japan and Mexico lost nearly €350 million in value in the first half of 2026.

Pig slaughter in Portugal in the first half of 2026 increased by 4.2% year-on-year in the total number of pigs slaughtered (+84,202 head).

The ban applies to beef, poultry meat, equine meat, aquaculture products, eggs, honey and casings.

Cepea anticipates pork supply will strengthen in the third quarter of 2026, amid the sector's preparation for end-of-year demand.

The most recent figures from the Porkcolombia - FNP Association show generalized growth of the Colombian pig inventory, with the commercial industrial sector being the most dynamic segment in the country.

The new Inter-American Knowledge Exchange Platform seeks to connect governments, research centers, and the private sector in the region.

The island of Lolland, an important agricultural area, is now completely free of PRRS.

Four of the ten months with the highest pork imports in the 2022–2026 series—and four of the ten highest export months—occurred during the first half of 2026.

Including pork in school lunches can contribute to providing students with more diverse and nutritionally adequate meals.

During the first six months of the year, Spain produced 2.76 million metric tons of pork (carcass weight), a 3.2% increase over the same period in 2025.

Rabobank expects U.S. hog slaughter to gradually recover but remain below 2025 levels through the second half of 2026.

Pork production was 0.5% higher than in the same period last year.

FAO, WHO and WOAH highlight the economic benefits of One Health investment and call for stronger prevention and Veterinary Services.

Since the first detection of the disease in late July, Finland has confirmed 35 ASF cases in wild boar, all in the municipality of Virolahti.

The livestock subsector advanced 2%, driven by poultry production.

The Philippines’ swine inventory stood at 8.93 million head at the end of June 2026, down 1% from a year earlier.

Its distinctive feature is the combination of ham with large pieces of liver and the traditional smoking method.

The Regional Bank of Antigens and Vaccines against foot and mouth disease (BANVACO) is coordinated by PANAFTOSA/PAHO and allows member countries to quickly have emergency vaccines available against different variants of the virus.

According to researchers at Cepea, demand for pork typically weakens in the second half of the month due to the population’s lower purchasing power, which, in turn, reduces demand for live hogs.

Over the last 20 years, Flanders' pig inventory has decreased by 43%.

Mexico’s pork trade in the first half of 2026 showed contrasting trends on two fronts: exports gained ground, driven by demand from Japan, while the value of imports fell significantly amid a widespread decline in international prices. Spain was no longer a major supplier.

The second outbreak of African swine fever in domestic pigs in the country was detected on August 9.

New rules include restrictions on PFAS in food-contact packaging.

South Africa’s pig industry is preparing for changes in breeding herd management following the revision of the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) welfare code.

The tool streamlines management, strengthening oversight and transparency in the meat supply chain. It is already in use at pilot facilities and will begin to be rolled out nationwide.

The EU has recognized the “Pernil Cerretà” PGI, produced in 24 regions of Catalonia, thereby strengthening the protection of this traditional ham and its connection to the region.

Costa Rica’s swine industry closed the first half of 2026 on a strong note, driven by a more than 8% increase in hog slaughter and accelerating imports.

Agrocalidad is at 65% of its goal to immunize more than 2 million animals before October.

The plan aims to strengthen core surveillance, expand collaborative networks, and embrace innovation.

In France, pork consumption is expected to increase by 2.7% by 2025, while imports now cover 29% of consumption.

Global wheat, maize, and sorghum prices increased while barley prices fell.

Pork production grew by 3.3% in the first half of the year while the swine herd remained stable.

South Africa’s largest recorded outbreak of ASF in commercial piggeries, which affected farms during the 2025/26 season, has been contained.

July saw the first monthly decline in 2026, reflecting lower quotations across all meat categories except ovine meat.

Pork exports are expected to grow by up to 5.9%; initial projections indicate further expansion in 2027.

USDA is making available $35 million for partnerships to respond to the threat feral swine pose to American agriculture, landscapes and human and livestock health.

The value of French pork production is expected to decline by 9.4% in 2025, driven by falling prices, while production volumes remain stable.

Brazil was the main provider of pork to the Philippines during the period.

At the end of 2025, per capita pork consumption stood at 21.3 kilograms per person, the highest level in the past 14 years, placing the Central American country fourth in regional per capita consumption, behind only Mexico, Uruguay, and Chile.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) presented a blueprint for a new global approach to tackle transboundary animal diseases.

The EU’s agri-food trade performance remained resilient in the first five months of 2026.

The virus, which causes striking symptoms, was recently detected in a piglet in Flanders for the first time.

Spain imported 1.82 million live pigs in the first half of 2026, 35.6% less than a year earlier, with sharp declines from all major suppliers.

The Mexican pork sector is maintaining its momentum at the start of 2026, posting the strongest production growth among the major meat species as it closed out the first quarter with growth that outpaced that of poultry and beef.

The first half of 2026 was the best in the last five years for the Argentine swine industry: slaughter and production picked up sharply after two years of moderate growth, making June the month with the highest production in the entire 2022-2026 period.

African swine fever has been detected in Finland for the first time, with the virus identified in wild boar found in the country's southeast. The authorities have established a restricted zone.

EU pigmeat production and consumption are forecast to remain stable, while exports are expected to remain resilient, supported by lower prices.