Main points
- In the Netherlands, pig slaughter volumes decreased by 7.4% due to a reduction in the livestock population, reaching 3.73 million animals in the first quarter of 2026.
- The policy of reducing livestock and environmental farm buy-out programs has led to a decrease in the export of pigs for slaughter from 930 thousand in 2016 to 100 thousand in 2026, which threatens underutilization of processing capacities.
Pig farming in Europe / Photo Magnific
Pig slaughter in the Netherlands has fallen sharply amid a decline in the livestock population, signaling profound structural changes in Europe's agricultural sector.
Livestock reduction hits production
The Netherlands recorded a significant decline in pig slaughter volumes in the first quarter of 2026, EuroMeat reports. According to data from the RVO and analysts DCA Market Intelligence, around 3.73 million animals were slaughtered in the first 14 weeks of the year – a 7.4 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.
The main reason was a targeted policy of reducing the livestock population. In 2025, the number of pigs in the country fell below 10 million heads for the first time in 45 years. From 2022, the total reduction is about 17 percent, which is associated with environmental programs for buying out farms.
Previously, processing plants compensated for the shortage of raw materials by importing or exporting animals, in particular from Germany. However, this resource is now practically exhausted – exports of pigs for slaughter have decreased from 930 thousand in the first quarter of 2016 to only 100 thousand in 2026.
Recycling is under-loaded and risks losses
The reduction in supply poses serious challenges for the processing industry. With an available capacity of around 300,000 pigs per week, actual slaughter volumes are only around 270,000.
RVO analysts warn that the industry is entering a period of underutilization of production capacity. The situation could worsen further in the summer months, when supply traditionally declines.
This calls into question the economic feasibility of the existing processing infrastructure in the long term. At the same time, overall pork production is not declining as rapidly as the average weight of animals has increased somewhat, partially offsetting the decline in slaughter volumes.
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The poultry meat production industry and livestock numbers are gradually recovering in Ukraine.
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Poultry meat exports from Ukraine in 2025 amounted to 436 thousand tons, with the main destinations being the EU, Middle Eastern countries, and other European countries outside the EU.
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Poultry meat imports in 2025 were at the level of 46 thousand tons.
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