Pig farming in Brandenburg has shrunk significantly in recent years. The total number of pigs kept commercially has increased from 751,722 animals to 524,000 animals from 2018 to May this year, a spokeswoman for the farmers’ association said. Last year, attitudes fell below the 600,000 mark for the first time.
According to the farmers’ association, there are several reasons for the decline. In particular, African swine fever (ASF) has added to many companies. About a year ago, 17 farms were in the ASF exclusion zone II, from which, according to the EU regulation, “a ban on the shipment of live pigs and products derived from them” existed. The spokeswoman explained that this regulation brought at least eight companies to their knees.
According to the farmers’ association, pig farmers in ASF restricted areas have incurred additional costs for veterinary examinations before the animals are transported. The transport routes to the slaughterhouses would have lengthened. At the slaughterhouse they would have to accept discounts.
The spokeswoman cited falling demand for pork as another reason for the decline in pig farming. In addition, there is a lack of young people in the companies. “Young people are hardly coming up because the job is not attractive for young people,” she said. Of the 27 trainees who signed their contract for training in animal husbandry in Brandenburg last autumn, 21 chose to focus on cattle farming and 6 on poultry farming.
The farmers’ association expects a further reduction in pig stocks. The reason for this is the high level of investment needed to make this branch of production future-proof, the spokeswoman said. According to the association, the “exorbitantly bureaucratic approval procedures for new stables and conversions are aggravating. In addition, there are “unresolved conflicts of interest between ensuring animal welfare and protecting emissions and the environment”.
Broadcast: Antenne Brandenburg, 08.07.2023, 1 p.m