Spanish pork meat surplus has a Dutch touch

The piglet export to Spain is going exceptionally well this year with record-high numbers. The downside is that Spain, partly due to high Dutch imports, is slaughtering many more pigs than in previous years. As a result, Spanish pork production is also growing rapidly, while there is no extra outlet on the world market, partly because Brazil is operating aggressively here. In the first half of 2025, 28,020,050 pigs were slaughtered in Spain. This is an increase of 5% compared to the same period last year. Because the pigs were slaughtered at heavier weights, meat production increased by 7.32% during the same period. Never before has the output of pork in Spain been as high as it is now. The Spaniards have now surpassed the Germans as the largest producers in Europe. Many Dutch piglets In the first half of this year, the Netherlands exported 1,495,445 piglets to Spain. This is an increase of nearly a quarter compared to the same period last year. Just over 5% of the Spanish pig slaughterings come from piglets from the Netherlands. It is sometimes thought that these piglets are 'off the market' due to the export to Spain, but that is certainly not the case. Spain is struggling with a surplus of pork, according to various sources in the meat trade. Pork parts are being offered at low prices on the European market, which is one of the reasons for the intense price pressure that is affecting market quotes this autumn. Denmark is also slaughtering many more pigs this year than last year, although no Dutch piglets are going there. Spanish pig price collapses The consequence of the abundant supply is that Spanish pig prices have recently dropped significantly. Part of this is a seasonal effect, as the market aligns with the tourist season. But there is more at play. The Spanish pork sector exports relatively large amounts of pork and by-products outside of Europe, but this year the outlets are stuttering, according to Spanish exporters. This is partly true, as exports in 2025 are slightly above last year's level. The problem is mainly that exports are not keeping pace with the rapidly growing meat production. As a result, the decline began earlier than in previous years. From Spain, there is a focus on Brazil, which is operating aggressively in the global pork market and capturing market share. This is also evident from Brazilian export figures: the South American country exported over 750,000 tons of pork in the first seven months, an increase of nearly 13%. Since this summer, the Spanish pork sector has been facing even more headwinds due to the rapid rise of the euro, which is also a struggle for other European exporters. Additionally, several large Spanish meat exporters have been affected by the tariffs that China recently imposed. Poor prospects The prospects for the coming months are therefore poor, raising the risk of further declines in pig prices. The Spanish pig price has already fallen to €1.55 per kilo, and analysts in the country believe that the price will drop by at least another 10 cents. The pig supply is expected to increase seasonally in the coming months, further increasing pressure. In addition, Spanish slaughterhouses and integrations have been performing poorly so far in 2025, hence these companies are looking for margin recovery. As long as Spanish pig prices are falling, this is obviously not favorable for price formation in Northwestern Europe. Interestingly, Spanish integrations continue to import Dutch piglets in large numbers. In the second-to-last week of August, as many as 74,944 piglets were imported, which is a record number. However, the prices being paid have dropped significantly. Nowadays, free piglets are going to Spain for just over €40.