Over the past three decades, pig farming has remained one of the most important components of global agricultural production. It has played a key role in providing the population with animal protein, shaping export flows in Asia and Europe, while remaining vulnerable to global epidemiological risks. Experts Club analysts have studied changes in the global pig population between 1990 and 2023.
“Pig farming is an industry where economics is closely intertwined with biological risks. It is extremely profitable in stable conditions, but it instantly suffers from any disruptions in the veterinary or logistics chain,” said Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
In the early 1990s, the total number of pigs in the world grew steadily, especially in China, which became the largest producer and consumer of pork. Mass industrial production, urbanization, and high demand for meat in the Asia-Pacific region stimulated capacity expansion. By the mid-2010s, the industry was at its peak: in some years, the number of pigs in the world exceeded one billion. This dynamic reflected the successful commercialization of the industry in China, Vietnam, Brazil, the United States, Germany, and Spain.
However, after 2018, the global pig industry faced one of the most significant challenges in recent decades — the African swine fever (ASF) pandemic. The epizootic, which began in China, spread to dozens of countries and led to a massive reduction in livestock numbers. In China alone, it is estimated that more than 100 million pigs were destroyed. This caused a meat shortage in the global market, price increases, a crisis in feed chains, and a reorientation of international trade.
“After the ASF outbreak, China began to actively reform the structure of pig farming, moving from small farms to large biosecure complexes. This also affected the global market, as demand for safe and controlled meat rose sharply,” Urakin explained.
Europe, in turn, found itself under pressure from environmental legislation and growing animal welfare requirements. In the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, the industry declined not only due to disease but also due to political decisions to reduce methane and nitrate emissions. In North America, the situation remained stable, although it was affected by tariff wars, especially in US-China relations.
Today, the global pig industry has partially recovered but remains in a phase of restructuring. China is gradually restoring its livestock population, but on new principles — with strict control of biosecurity, genetics, and investment in innovation. At the same time, more and more countries are investing in alternative proteins — cultured meat and plant-based pork substitutes — which poses long-term risks to the traditional industry.
“The future of pig farming is a symbiosis of biotechnology, sustainable management, and veterinary reliability. Those who cannot adapt will lose the market,” concluded Maxim Urakin.
A detailed analysis of the situation on the pork market and a visualization of global trends can be found in a special video review on the Experts Club YouTube channel.
AGRICULTURAL MARKET, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, EXPERTS_CLUB, PIG FARMING, URAKIN
During the period of martial law in Ukraine, the number of enterprises producing products of animal origin that have the right to export their products to the territory of the European Union has increased, their number increased by 33 (or 8.5%) compared to the winter of 2021 – up to 418 from 385.
As reported on the website of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection (Gosprodpotrebsluzhby) on Tuesday, the number of Ukrainian exporters of dairy products increased the most – by 11, fish products – by six, snails and products from them – by five.
“The Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, which was concluded in 2014 and entered into force in 2017, provides an opportunity for Ukrainian manufacturers to significantly expand sales markets. The start of Russian aggression did not stop this process, in particular, due to the abolition of duties for Ukrainian goods on territory of the EU for a period of one year, starting from June 4 of the current year.
According to him, among the Ukrainian exporters of products intended for human consumption, there are 72 producers of bee honey, 40 – dairy products, 37 – fish products. Among the exporters of products not intended for human consumption, down and feathers are most exported to the EU – 67, casein – 49, raw hides – 46.
The State Food and Consumer Service recalled that in order to export food products of its own production to the EU, a business entity must submit a request to the territorial body of the Service for approval of export capacities in accordance with Order No. 38 of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy dated February 10, 2016.
