Poland moves to reduce Danish pig imports and boost domestic production

Poland is planning to reduce its reliance on Danish livestock imports by implementing a new support program designed to boost domestic pig production. Polish Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski stated that the initiative aims to rebuild the nation's pig population using domestic piglets rather than those imported from Denmark.

In 2025, Denmark provided approximately 97 percent of Poland's imported pigs, totaling roughly 7.8 million animals. This shift in policy could significantly impact Danish exports, which reached a record high of nearly 17 million live pigs in 2025.

Simultaneously, the meat processing giant Danish Crown is shifting more of its operations toward Poland to manage market pressures. The company plans to send meat equivalent to 500,000 pigs per year to its Polish subsidiary, Sokołów, for high-value processing, with long-term goals to increase this volume to one million pigs annually. This move is intended to improve profitability and utilize cost-effective production structures in response to a difficult European pork market.