Global pork production rose 1.9% in 2023, even as antimicrobial use in US swine farms fell 42% between 2015 and 2020, a shift that is changing how costs, compliance, and performance trade off on the ground. At the same time, inventories and trade volumes moved in sharp, uneven ways, from Brazil’s 42.5 million pigs to 2023 imports ranging from 0.26 million tonnes in Mexico to 0.7 million tonnes into the United States. Get ready for a page by page look at where volume and value are concentrating, and where they are not.
Key Takeaways
- Brazil had 42.5 million pigs in inventory in 2022 (stock number)
- The EU had about 130 million pigs in inventory in 2022 (stock number)
- Pigs slaughtered in the EU were 243 million head in 2023
- China imported 1.9 million tonnes of pig meat products in 2023
- The United States imported 0.7 million tonnes of pig meat products in 2023
- Brazil exported 6.7 billion USD worth of pig meat products in 2023
- Global pork production increased by 1.9% in 2023 (FAO/USDA-backed trend figure for 2023 vs 2022)
- U.S. swine farms reduced antimicrobial use by 42% between 2015 and 2020 (Vet/USDA reporting summarized by FDA/CVM)
- The global pork market is expected to grow at a 4.0% CAGR from 2024 to 2030
- Germany’s pork value of production was €6.5 billion in 2022 (Eurostat production value for pig meat production)
- Feed conversion ratio in modern finishing swine is around 3.0 kg feed per 1 kg liveweight gain (global benchmark from peer-reviewed reviews)
- Crude protein levels of 16% to 18% in grow-finish diets are associated with improved feed efficiency in swine by peer-reviewed animal nutrition trials
- A 1% reduction in mortality in grow-finish operations can improve profitability by roughly 1% to 2% (simulation results from peer-reviewed production economics)
Pork trade and production are rising in 2023 and 2024, driven by China and global growth.
Related reading
01 · Category
Production4 stats
01
Brazil had 42.5 million pigs in inventory in 2022 (stock number)https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/
02
The EU had about 130 million pigs in inventory in 2022 (stock number)https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ef_2b2/default/table?lang=en
03
Pigs slaughtered in the EU were 243 million head in 2023https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tag00042/default/table?lang=en
04
In the EU, the average carcass weight of pigs slaughtered was 96.5 kg in 2023https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/tag00083/default/table?lang=en
Interpretation
Production Interpretation
From a production perspective, the EU is turning large inventories into supply by slaughtering 243 million pigs in 2023, drawing on a 2022 herd of about 130 million while delivering an average carcass weight of 96.5 kg.
02 · Category
Trade8 stats
01
China imported 1.9 million tonnes of pig meat products in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=156&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
02
The United States imported 0.7 million tonnes of pig meat products in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=842&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
03
Brazil exported 6.7 billion USD worth of pig meat products in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=76&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
04
Vietnam imported 0.5 million tonnes of pork in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=704&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
05
Japan’s average pork import unit value was $2,173per tonne in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=392&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
06
South Korea imported 0.33 million tonnes of pork in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=410&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
07
Mexico imported 0.26 million tonnes of pork in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=484&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
08
UK imported 0.40 million tonnes of pig meat products in 2023https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow?y=2023&r=826&p=0203&f=0&c=3%2C2%2C1
Interpretation
Trade Interpretation
In 2023, trade in pig meat products was dominated by China’s large 1.9 million tonnes of imports while other major buyers remained much smaller, underscoring how a few countries drive most global pork movement.
03 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
Global pork production increased by 1.9% in 2023 (FAO/USDA-backed trend figure for 2023 vs 2022)https://www.fao.org/world-food-and-agriculture-statistics/en/
02
U.S. swine farms reduced antimicrobial use by 42% between 2015 and 2020 (Vet/USDA reporting summarized by FDA/CVM)https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/antimicrobial-resistance/summary-antimicrobials-swine
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In line with the Industry Trends framing, global pork production rose by 1.9% in 2023 and U.S. swine farms cut antimicrobial use by 42% from 2015 to 2020, pointing to growth alongside stronger animal health practices.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
The global pork market is expected to grow at a 4.0% CAGR from 2024 to 2030https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pork-market
02
Germany’s pork value of production was €6.5 billion in 2022 (Eurostat production value for pig meat production)https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/aei_pr_gd/default/table?lang=en
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the market size outlook, the global pork market is projected to expand at a 4.0% CAGR from 2024 to 2030, alongside Germany’s pork production valued at €6.5 billion in 2022.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis5 stats
01
Feed conversion ratio in modern finishing swine is around 3.0 kg feed per 1 kg liveweight gain (global benchmark from peer-reviewed reviews)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579115000812
02
Crude protein levels of 16% to 18% in grow-finish diets are associated with improved feed efficiency in swine by peer-reviewed animal nutrition trialshttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579110001400
03
A 1% reduction in mortality in grow-finish operations can improve profitability by roughly 1% to 2% (simulation results from peer-reviewed production economics)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304406817301682
04
In feedlot swine, daily gain improvements of 5% reduce time to market by about 3% to 4% in commercial schedules (production benchmarks from peer-reviewed studies)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579118302515
05
USDA reported hog feed price index increased by 18% from 2021 to 2022 (index-driven cost pressure)https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/feed-grains-database/
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost analysis shows that feed efficiency and survival make the biggest difference to margins, since using 3.0 kg feed per 1 kg gain alongside 16% to 18% crude protein can help reduce total unit costs, while even a 1% drop in grow finish mortality can lift profitability by about 1% to 2% as feed price pressure rose 18% from 2021 to 2022.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Aisha Okonkwo. (2026, February 13). Pork Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pork-industry-statistics
MLA
Aisha Okonkwo. "Pork Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/pork-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Aisha Okonkwo. 2026. "Pork Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pork-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report
+14 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)