EU Share of Pork Global Exports Continues Decline

Oct 16, 2023

European Union (EU) pork exports are expected to decline 25% in 2024 compared to 2019 and account for 15% of production, down from 19% in 2019, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service reports in the latest Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade report. In addition to growing regulatory burdens, the report notes EU swine producers continue to face challenges controlling the impact of African swine fever (ASF), which has resulted in a reduced swine herd and limited exports to some markets.

Meanwhile, global production in 2024 is forecast virtually unchanged year over year at 115.5 million tons, the report says. Lower production in the EU and China is mostly offset by larger production in Brazil, Vietnam and the U.S. EU pork production is forecast 2% lower year over year to 21.2 million tons.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.