Polish pig farmers face significant losses in fattening cycle

Pig farmers in Poland continue to face significant financial losses during the fattening process. According to calculations by the Wielkopolska Chamber of Agriculture, losses in September exceeded 300 PLN per animal depending on the production model. For farms using purchased grain, the loss was 232.07 PLN per pig, while those using their own grain saw losses of 313.42 PLN per head.

Although the situation improved slightly compared to August due to higher selling prices and lower piglet costs, current market rates remain well below the break-even point. To cover all production costs, selling prices would need to reach between 7.68 PLN and 8.39 PLN net per kg, whereas recent prices have hovered around 4.45 to 4.50 PLN net per kg.

The sector also faces high dependency on imports, with approximately 40% of pigs slaughtered in Poland originating from abroad, primarily from Denmark. Experts note that income instability is a major barrier to development, as profits are often unevenly distributed across the supply chain between piglet producers and fatteners.