The number of pigs kept in Brandenburg - as well as nationwide - has fallen to a low. According to preliminary results, the Berlin-Brandenburg Statistics Office announced on Monday that fewer than 600,000 pigs were kept in 2022 for the first time since 1990. The number of pig farmers is declining throughout Germany.

Cost increases for energy, feed and fertilizer are putting a strain on farms, and demand for pork has also been falling for years. In addition, according to the Farmers' Association, farms are under pressure due to the consequences of African swine fever.

Rapid decline

As of Nov. 3, 2022, 591,100 pigs were kept in Brandenburg - 40,100 fewer than in May. "This means that the downward trend in this animal species continued at a rapid pace," the statistics authority in Potsdam said. The stock of young pigs stood at 95,700 - meaning the number fell by 17,100 animals, or 15.1 percent. The number of piglets also fell by 14,200 to 276,000 animals (minus 4.9 percent).

Nationwide, the pig herd stood at 21.3 million animals on the reporting date of November 3 - following a sharp decline of a good ten percent within a year.

Photo by Amber Kipp