Germany: Meat production fell 0.4% in the first half of 2026

According to preliminary figures, commercial slaughterhouses in Germany produced just under 3.4 million tons of meat in the first half of 2026. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), this represents a decrease of 0.4%, or 14,700 tons, compared to the same period of the previous year. A total of 24.0 million pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, as well as 343.2 million chickens, turkeys, and ducks, were slaughtered in these facilities during the first half of 2026.

The number of pigs slaughtered increased by 0.5%, or 107,000 animals, to 22.2 million in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period of the previous year.

The number of domestically sourced pigs slaughtered was 21.9 million (+163,800 animals, or +0.8%). Domestically sourced animals accounted for 98.4% of the total number of pigs slaughtered. The number of slaughtered pigs of foreign origin decreased by 14.0% to 349,200 animals.

The amount of pork produced in the first half of 2026 was 2.2 million tons, an increase of 10,300 tons or 0.5%.

For years, pork has accounted for the largest share of commercial meat production in Germany. In the first half of 2026, 63.7% of the meat produced came from slaughtered pigs. This was followed by poultry with a share of 22.3% and beef with 13.7%. Meat from sheep, goats, and horses made up only about 0.3% of total production.