Denmark in need The Danish pig industry has been coming under increasing pressure recently. Several factors play a decisive role:
- Pig farming was expanded considerably in 2020.
- As a result of the Covid pandemic, the increasing live supply is encountering restrictions at the slaughterhouses with a corresponding backlog of finished pigs for slaughter.
- Exports to the EU internal market, with a focus on Germany, are falling significantly because the Chinese import ban for Germany is leading to an increased supply of meat in its own country.
- The backlog of German slaughter pigs leads to a considerable reduction in Danish piglet exports to Germany.
Denmark has a pork self-sufficiency rate of over 650%. Export is a key factor for the country.Two thirds of the deliveries remain in the EU internal market with a focus on Germany and the rest is delivered to third countries, including China. With the Chinese export ban on German pork as a result of the ASF outbreak in Germany, there is an additional pork supply in the EU internal market, with a focus on Germany and its neighboring countries. Due to the outbreak of a previously unknown coronavirus variant in mink , China has banned meat imports from several Danish slaughterhouses. Reduced Danish piglet exports to Germany lead to increasing pig numbers in Denmark itself. The latest cattle count on October 1st, 2020 showed an increase in the number of pigs over 50 kg of 9.8% compared to the previous year. This increases supply pressure in Denmark , which is causing considerable problems due to the restrictions on exports. Danish market experts estimate that 350.000 finished pigs are on hold. Every week, 25,000 fewer piglets are delivered to Germany. The current developments are only just beginning. The situation is expected to worsen in the coming weeks and months. This does not leave Germany and other EU countries unaffected.
