2 of October 2026
Pig prices in Portugal fell by 0,06€/kg carcass to 1,98€/kg carcass on the Pig Exchange in the second half of September. This downward movement is customary at this time of year, but the drop was greater than expected because supply of pigs had been very low in the preceding weeks, and the pigs were light. Within a short period, driven by the sharp decline in the German market, all the other European markets were forced to follow suit.
In Portugal and Spain, pig weights remain well below normal levels, indicating lower supply and a looser market. However, these figures were not enough to “hold” pig prices in either country. Since Spain has to place a large volume of meat on the EU domestic market, it must compete with German meat, which is much cheaper, and slaughter pig prices fell.
Despite some shortages of pigs in certain regions of Germany, particularly in the south, German slaughterhouses had to improve their competitiveness to sell their meat and pushed for a sharp decline in the market (-15 cents). This decline affected all European markets, with very significant falls in all the countries of central and northern Europe in the last two weeks of September.
Therefore, prices did not fall so much because of supply and demand movements. It was really due to price differentials between Germany and the other countries.
In Portugal, there are producers making losses, and this decline in the price is even more concerning than usual in other years, since it will coincide with an increase in animal feed costs and energy costs (electricity and fuel), creating the conditions for a spiral of increasingly severe losses.
Additionally, as temperatures have started to fall, pig weights will increase. In any case, because weights are very low compared with previous years, there will be some leeway in the total quantity of meat that will be put on the market, and this is a positive sign.
We will see what the coming weeks and months bring, particularly as the E.U. will continue to compete with Americans and Brazilians in global markets for the sale of meat, where it is at a disadvantage because the others have lower prices and are, evidently, more competitive.
Regarding the evolution of European pig prices, in Spain the price fell by 0,05€\/kg PV (0,067€\/kg carcass) to 1,315€\/kg PV in the second half of September (1,753€\/kg carcass). According to information from Mercolérida, carcass weight increased by 1,45Kg during this fortnight and is 3,5Kg below the weight at the same time last year.
In Germany, the price fell by 0,15€\/kg carcass to 1,45€\/kg carcass in the second half of September. Carcass weights increased by 200g to 98,1kg and are 100g below last year's weight. The sharp price correction did not boost meat sales, which remain sluggish. The decline this fortnight should allow the price to remain stable for several weeks.
In the Netherlands, the price fell by 0,15€\/kg carcass to 1,21€\/kg carcass in the second half of September.
In Belgium, the price fell by 0,12€\/kg PV to 1,07€\/kg PV in the second half of September. According to MPF, the slaughter pig market remains relatively balanced: slaughterhouses are actively seeking pigs for slaughter, and available volumes are being absorbed without difficulty. Tensions are concentrated more in the meat market, where prices are falling, while slaughterhouses report increasingly deteriorating margins.
In Denmark, the price remained at 0,92€\/kg carcass in the first half of September.
In France, the quotation fell from 0,111€/kg carcass to 1,792€/kg carcass in the second half of September. Weights rose by 500g to 95,9kg and are 600g below the weight of 2025. The price decline continues and is intensifying. Despite some resistance, sellers eventually had to give in and accept a significant drop. Unlike in previous weeks, buyers also limited themselves to their minimum quotas, a sign that supply is beginning to be sufficient to meet their needs. It must be acknowledged that it is above all pressure from the European meat market that is dictating the trend. In fact, considering volumes and weights, the French market remains in a situation of limited supply.
