Dear readers,
The price increase is almost general in Europe and there are also other positive developments in the swine industry:
- Zoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS), the largest animal health organization globally, has disclosed a firm agreement to purchase Neogen Corporation’s (NASDAQ: NEOG) worldwide animal genomics sector. This strategic initiative aims to enhance solutions centered on genomics for both livestock and pet animals. According to the agreement’s stipulations, Zoetis is set to make a payment of around $160 million for the genomics division of Neogen. The genomics division functions through five laboratories located in the United States, Brazil, Australia, China, and the United Kingdom, and it is also present in Canada. This unit offers sophisticated genotyping, sequencing, and data for breeding and management choices across various livestock species.
- U.S. meat sales reached a record $112 billion in 2025, with sales in weight increasing 2% year over year, according to Circana data cited in the 21st annual Power of Meat report released Monday at the Annual Meat Conference by the Meat Institute and FMI — The Food Industry Association. More than 98% of U.S. households purchased meat last year, and 45% of shoppers said they were actively trying to prepare more meals containing meat or poultry. On average, consumers prepared five dinners at home per week, with 90% of those meals including meat or poultry.
- The Argentine Ministry of Economy’s Secretariat for Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, in collaboration with the Investment and Foreign Trade Bank (BICE), has announced that the credit line focused on the pork industry has already distributed about 8. 4 million euros. These financial loans serve as a tool to enhance the competitiveness of businesses within the supply chain by providing funds for equipment, infrastructure, and genetic improvements. The repayment amounts are determined according to the weight of pork measured in kilograms and are settled in pesos at the monthly benchmark price for hogs per kilogram.
Events calendar:
- Foodex Japan, an international trade fair for the food and beverage industry as well as the gastronomy sector, is held at the Tokyo Big Sight, one of the largest exhibition centers in Tokyo. The fair takes place on 4 days from Tuesday, 10.03.2026 to Friday, 13.03.2026.
- VICTAM Asia is one of the most prestigious trade fairs in the animal feed production industry, taking place at the BITEC Exhibition Center in Bangkok. The fair will take place on 3 days from Tuesday, 10. March to Thursday, 12. March 2026 .
- The HoReCa Foodservice Expo in Nadarzyn is Poland’s most important trade fair for the hospitality, food, and food processing sectors. The exhibition takes place on 3 days from Tuesday, 10.03.2026 to Thursday, 12.03.2026.
Try
Increasing pig purchasing prices in Europe had to be supported by some data. The decrease in carcass weight in Spain was nearly 500 grams per week in the last two weeks. This indicates that some farms might be holding back livestock, resulting in pig weights being only 800 grams above last year’s figures, while current slaughter numbers are 10% higher than the same time last year.
Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland are also seeing consistent growth alongside weekly reductions in weights. In Belgium slaughter numbers have fallen to their lowest point this year, which has led to a slight increase in weights, although they still fall short of the levels expected for 2025.
In Europe slaughterhouses are slowly accepting pig price increases, while still complaining about the lack of consumption. In the US Millennials and Gen Z shoppers drove much of the growth, accounting for 67% of unit increases. Fifty-seven percent of Millennials and 50% of Gen Z respondents said they were trying to prepare more meals with meat or poultry. In households with children, 81% reported that kids influence meat and poultry purchases. Among shoppers with teens at home, 72% said their teens request meat and poultry, far outpacing requests for protein bars, shakes or powders. Younger consumers also led adoption of digital tools for meal inspiration. Twenty-four percent of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers reported using artificial intelligence tools, compared with 10% of Gen X and 4% of Boomers. Overall, 15% of shoppers use AI tools, up 650% over two years. Can the Europeans learn something from this data?
While I have an extensive experience in the meat industry, I am working for a farmer cooperative. We are happy to see the price of our pigs increasing, we are still behind reaching the level of break-even. The side effects of the Iranian war will also affect our costs, at least for an unpredictable time: energy, grains and fertilizers are getting more expensive. Piglet prices are also increasing so we will push for a new rise in price. We have to try!
