Portugal: Pig slaughter up in the first 9 months of 2021

According to data published by GPP, provided by INE as preliminary data, pig slaughter in Portugal during the first nine months of 2021 grew by 1.2% (+35,576 head) compared to the same period of the previous year, from 2,999,187 animals slaughtered in 2020 to 3,034,763 in 2021.

Weight slaughtered also increased (+1.7%), with 252,227 tons in 2020 compared to 256,430 t in 2021, representing an average carcass weight of 84.5 kg.

Regarding piglets, there was an important and significant increase in slaughter (+95,782 head, +11.7%) in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, with 815,539 head in 2020 to 911,321 head in 2021. Weight slaughtered increased by 10.0%, from 5,787 t in 2020 to 6,368 t in 2021, with the average carcass weight being approximately 7kg.

As for breeding stock, 23,486 head were slaughtered in 2021 (-41.8%) compared to 4,383 in 2020. Total weight decreased by 34.7%, from 5,639 t in 2020 to 3,685 t in 2021, with an average carcass weight of 156.9 kg.

The total number of head slaughtered fit for consumption between January and September 2021 was 3,969,570 (+3.0% compared to the same period in 2020, with 3,855,109 head). Total weight at slaughter increased by 1.1%, from 263,653 t in 2020 to 266,484 t in 2021.