According to the latest report of the Central Statistical Office, as of June 1 this year, the total pig population in our country amounted to 9,132,000 pigs. This is 6.5% lower than in December, and 3.2% lower than in June 2023. Declines were recorded in the groups of piglets, weaners and fattening pigs. The highest decline in population concerns the last of the mentioned groups – the number of fattening pigs in Poland was 11% lower than in December last year.
It is worth mentioning that the current population is the lowest since the post-war years.
Category June 2023 December 2023 June 2024 y/y change (%) Total pigs 9436300 9769700 9132000 -3.2 Piglets up to 20 kg 2014700 2006700 1981000 -1.7 Weaners from 20 to 50 kg 2871400 2835700 2673900 -6.9 Fattening pigs over 50 kg 3949500 4252900 3783500 -4.2 Breeding pigs over 50 kg 600800 674400 693600 +15.4 Total sows 590360 663300 682700 +15.6 Pregnant sows 421900 456500 468000 +10.9
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The cattle population in Poland is declining in almost all age groups
The number of sows is increasing
A positive signal from the Central Statistical Office report is the clear reconstruction of the sow population in Poland. At the beginning of June, the population of this group of animals amounted to 693,300 and was 2.8 percent higher than in December and as much as 15.6 percent higher than in June last year. The Central Statistical Office data show that the sow population increased by over 90 thousand animals during the year.
A large decline in the pig population in Wielkopolska
Interestingly, in a significant part of the provinces, the Central Statistical Office recorded a slight increase in the total pig population. The fact that the balance is negative on a national scale is primarily due to the massive liquidation of the pig herd in Wielkopolska. Over the course of twelve months, this region lost over 350 thousand animals. A significant increase in the population was recorded, among others, in the Łódź, Mazovian and Lesser Poland provinces.
The leading producer of pigs in Poland remains Wielkopolska, which accounts for 28.8% of the pig population. It is followed by the following voivodeships: Mazowieckie (15.1%), Łódzkie (11.1%) and Kujawsko-Pomorskie (9.4%).
Voivodeship June 2023 June 2024 Change y/y (%)
Lower Silesia
134609 125814 -6.3 Kuyavian-Pomeranian 822203 863776 +5.0 Lublin 407418 434886 +6.7 Lubusz 75992 77314 +1.7 Lodz 953066 1019390 +6.9 Lesser Poland 103405 97898 -5.4 Masovian 1342350 1381570 +2.9 Opole 312409 315577 +1.0 Subcarpathian 74102 78568 +6.0 Podlaskie 336705 325080 -3.5 Pomeranian 824395 781373 -5.3 Silesian 161772 162741 +0.5 Świętokrzyskie 139299 142956 +2.6 Warmian-Masurian 515479 522961 +1.4 Greater Poland 3056830 2643041 -13.5 West Pomeranian 176258 159045 -10.0
Source: Central Statistical Office
Massive increase in piglet imports
In the period from January to June 2024, 4,039,100 animals were imported to our country. This value was 13.4% higher than in the same period of the previous year, while the import of weaners alone was 16.7% higher than in the period January – June 2023. In the first 11 months of last year, over 6.85 million animals were imported.