Over the past three decades, the pig sector has remained one of the most important components of global agricultural production. It has played a key role in providing animal protein to the population, generated export flows in Asia and Europe, and at the same time remained vulnerable to global epidemiological risks. Experts Club analysts investigated changes in the global pig population between 1990 and 2023.
“Pig production is an industry where economics is closely intertwined with biological risks. It is extremely profitable in stable conditions, but immediately suffers from any disruption in the veterinary or logistical chain,” said Maxim Urakin, PhD in Economics and founder of the Experts Club information and analytical centre.
In the early 1990s, the total number of pigs in the world was growing steadily, especially in China, which became the largest producer and consumer of pork. Massive industrial production, urbanisation and high demand for meat in the Asia-Pacific region stimulated capacity expansion. By the mid-2010s, the industry was at its peak, with the number of pigs in the world exceeding one billion in some years. This dynamic reflected the successful commercialisation of the industry in China, Vietnam, Brazil, the US, Germany and Spain.
However, after 2018, the global Pig Industry faced one of the biggest challenges in decades – the African Swine Fever (ASF) pandemic. The epizootic, which started in China, spread to dozens of countries and led to massive herd reductions. more than 100 million pigs were destroyed in China alone. This caused a shortage of meat on the global market, rising prices, a crisis in feed chains and a reorientation of international trade.
Europe in turn has come under pressure from environmental legislation and increasing animal welfare requirements. The Netherlands, Denmark, Germany saw a decline in the industry not only due to disease but also due to the political decision to reduce methane and nitrate emissions. In North America, the situation remained stable, albeit under the influence of tariff wars, especially in the US relationship with China.
Today, the world pig industry has partially recovered, but remains in a rebuilding phase. China is gradually rebuilding the herd, but on a new basis, with strict controls on biosecurity, genetics and investment in innovation. At the same time, more and more countries are investing in alternative proteins, such as cultured meat and plant-based pork analogues, which creates long-term risks for the traditional industry.