In the first five months of 2026, pork production in Germany declined slightly compared to the same period of the previous year. While the number of domestically produced animals slaughtered remained largely stable, both the total number of slaughters and the volume of meat produced showed a slight decrease.
According to data from the Federal Statistical Office, a total of approximately 18.48 million pigs were slaughtered in commercial slaughterhouses in Germany between January and May 2026. This represents a slight decrease of 0.9%, or around 164,000 animals, compared to the same period of the previous year, in which 18.65 million pigs were slaughtered.
The trend is largely driven by the slight decline in the number of animals slaughtered from domestic farms. The number of domestically produced pigs slaughtered in the first five months totaled 18.18 million, representing a minimal decrease of just 0.5% compared to the same period last year. In May alone, approximately 3.38 million pigs of German origin were slaughtered, compared to 3.52 million in the same month last year. In addition, the number of pigs slaughtered from abroad in the five-month period amounted to 289,638, down from approximately 357,000 in the same period last year.
In line with the overall slight decrease in the supply of animals, the amount of pork slaughtered also decreased from January to May 2026. This totaled approximately 1.80 million tons. Compared to the same period of the previous year, this represents a decline of just under 1.0%, or approximately 17,800 tons of pork.
