POLAND: Future of the domestic pig industry unstable

The future of the pig industry in Poland has raised concerns this week following the revelation that, for a third consecutive year, the pork market has seen a depression. Pork prices are largely dictated by the size of herds, but the recent increase in the cost of animal feed has pushed retail prices higher and higher, back to the record high of three years ago. Slaughterhouse representatives have now revealed that consumer demand is so low that many pig farmers are turning away from the unprofitable business, and fears have been raised that the domestic industry may collapse altogether, leading to pork imports. It is already apparent that farmers are planning to cut herd sizes; the number of sows has recently fallen by 11%.