France’s foreign trade balance in pork deteriorated in 2024. According to a study by the Centre for Studies and Strategic Foresight (CEP) of the French Ministry of Agriculture, published in November 2026, the deficit rose from 23 000 tonnes carcass equivalent (tce) in 2023 to 28 000 tce in 2024. The authors highlight the weight of imports from Spain in this negative balance.
These findings appear in the working paper “Trade performance and the structure of agricultural and agri-food sectors: a comparative analysis of six European Union countries,” which examines, among other things, the situations in France and Spain.
The weight of Spanish imports
In 2023, Spain was France’s leading supplier of fresh and frozen pork, accounting for 66% of import volumes. The products concerned were mainly cuts such as boneless hams and pork bellies.
In the same year, Spain also exported 67 000 tonnes of charcuterie to France, an increase of 7,2% compared with 2022. These exports included, in particular, hams, sausages and other processed products.
The authors state that the negative balance of French foreign trade in pork, both in volume and in value, is closely linked to the scale of these Spanish imports.
A bilateral deficit of 234 000 tonnes with Spain
In 2024, France’s trade deficit in pork with Spain reached 234 000 tec, compared with 224 000 tec in 2023, according to Agreste data cited in the study.
Across all trade with European Union countries, the French deficit stood at 177 000 tec in 2024, compared with 171 000 tec the previous year. By contrast, trade with non-EU countries showed a surplus of 149 000 tec, compared with 147 000 tec in 2023.
Expanding Spanish pig production
The report also presents developments in Spain’s pig sector. In 2024, Spain had 34,5 million pigs, an increase of more than 30 % since 2014, while the other European countries studied had recorded declines in their livestock numbers.
The authors also note that more than 93 % of Spanish pigs are raised on farms specializing in pig production, as in Denmark and the Netherlands. France and Germany, by contrast, have a greater diversity of farm structures.
November 2026/ Agreste/ France.
https://www.agreste.agriculture.gouv.fr/
