Spain, Portugal ramp up pig slaughter in H1 as carcase weights also rise

Spain and Portugal both recorded significant increases in pig slaughter volumes and pork output in the first half of 2026, adding to domestic supply at a time when ASF-related market closures are simultaneously restricting export outlets and intensifying pressure on the Iberian pork sector to find alternative destinations for growing production.

Spain slaughtered 28.4 million pigs in the first six months of 2026, up 2.1% from 27.8 million head in the same period of 2025, according to data from Spain's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Pork production by carcass weight rose at a faster rate, reaching 2.76 million metric tons in H1 2026, a 3.2% increase from 2.67 million mt a year earlier, reflecting a higher average carcass weight of 97.1 kilogram per carcass compared with about 96.0 kg in H1 2025.

In Portugal, total pig slaughter, including piglets and cull breeding stock, reached 2,701,405 head in H1 2026, up 4.7% from 2,579,513 in the same period of 2025, according to provisional data published by the ministry on Sept.3.

Total carcass weight declared fit for consumption rose 4.4% to 193,110.8 mt from 184,963.3 mt a year earlier.

Production detail and weight trends

The divergence between slaughter number growth and production weight growth in both countries points to a structural trend of heavier animals reaching slaughter, a pattern also observed in UK pig production data for the same period.

In Spain, the gap between the 2.1% increase in slaughter numbers and the 3.2% rise in carcass weight output reflects the average carcass weight increase to 97.1 kg from 96.0 kg.

Monthly slaughter data showed variability across the half-year, with January slightly below year-earlier levels before February, March and April posted year-on-year gains. May recorded a slight decline.

In Portugal, the total carcass weight of standard pigs rose 4.4% from 177,597 mt in H1 2025 to 185,467 mt in H1 2026, with average carcass weight edging up from 87.9 kg to 88.1 kg, according to GPP data.

The country's pig slaughter count for the main category rose 4.2%, equivalent to 84,202 additional animals, from 2,020,276 to 2,104,478 head.

Piglet slaughter in Portugal increased at a faster rate, rising 6.8% or 36,625 additional animals to 571,990 head in H1 2026, with total piglet carcass weight up 7.3% to 4,081 mt.

Average piglet carcass weight remained stable at 7.1 kg, consistent with the typical specification for animals destined for the Portuguese roasting market.

Cull breeding stock slaughter rose 4.5% to 24,937 animals, though average carcass weight for this category declined from 149.25 kg to 142.9 kg.

Supply and trade flow implications

The production increases in both countries come at a commercially challenging moment for the Iberian pork sector.

Spain lost nearly Eur350 million in pork export revenue from Japan and Mexico in H1 2026 following ASF-related import suspensions.

Japan alone accounted for Eur 312.3 million of that loss, with Spanish shipments to the country falling 73.9% by volume year-on-year to 24,880 mt in the first half of the year.

The combination of rising domestic output and reduced access to two of Spain's most valuable export markets creates a structural supply overhang that will need to be absorbed either through price adjustments or by redirecting toward alternative destinations.

Spain has secured a partial restoration of market access through the application of the ASF regionalization principle, with imports from ASF-free Spanish zones, and is pursuing equivalent arrangements with other suspended markets.

The broader European context is one of tightening supply in some areas. The EU Food and Agriculture Organization said Sept. 4 that high temperatures slowed pig growth in the EU in August, contributing to higher pig meat prices, while Iberian production data points in the opposite direction, suggesting that Spain and Portugal are adding to available supply even as weather-related constraints affect other producing regions.

The growing volume of Iberian pork output seeking export markets will also intensify competition with other suppliers in Asia and elsewhere, particularly as China import demand remains subdued following a period of domestic oversupply and sow herd contraction.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed the EU Pork Marker at Eur2,118/mt Sept. 4, unchanged from Sept. 3.