Despite the steady decline in the pig herd in recent years, from 3.62 million in 2021 to 3.33 million in 2022 and 3.20 million in 2023, there are some signs that offer hope.

High pork consumption at European level

Unlike other EU countries, where annual per capita pork consumption shows a downward trend, in Romania it has increased from 29.6 kg in 2012 to 38.3 kg in 2018, and has remained steady around this figure since then.

ASF outbreaks under control

Official data also show a decrease in the number of ASF outbreaks. Compared to the period 2018-2021, when the monthly average of active ASF outbreaks was around 585, this has dropped to 85 in 2021-2024, with 9 outbreaks in January, 12 in February, 8 in March, and 9 in April.

Romania stimulates growth in sow farming

At the same time, the Support Program for Pig Breeders for Breeding Activities, a program funded by the Romanian government, which represents a state aid scheme for pig breeders to establish new breeding capacity, is making significant progress. To date, 25 investment projects are at various stages of implementation, with a total production capacity of 46,600 sow places, and the first farms are expected to be populated with sows by the end of 2024 or early 2025. These sows benefit from modern, energy-efficient technologies and can be designed from the outset to ensure strict biosecurity conditions, which is extremely important in the current epidemiological context.

At the European level, however, we see a sharp decline in annual pork exports, with a 14% drop in 2022 and 20% in 2023, and the implementation of environmental targets is putting pressure on pig farmers. The pig herd in EU countries, however, has only decreased by 5% in 2022 and by 0.6% in 2023.

Favorable conditions make Romania an interesting pig country

Under these circumstances, with Romania largely dependent on the domestic market and indirectly affected by the decline in exports, benefiting from lower grain prices, support programs for investments in the pig sector, and the lower environmental impact of this activity at the national level, it has the opportunity for sustainable production growth in the coming years, though this depends on the evolution of African Swine Fever and finding effective solutions to combat and eradicate it.