The UK pig breeding herd has seen a sharp decline as producers in the sector continue to be severely challenged, new figures published by Defra show.
The total pig population has declined 2.5% in 12 months, to 5.19 million head, according to the figures detailing the UK's livestock population.
Overall breeding herd has contracted 15.2%, driven by a loss of 56,000 sows (-14%) in the female breeding herd which stands at 342,800 head.
The number of sows and gilts in pig declined by 11.7% and 22.4% respectively, with the number of gilts intended for first time breeding down 21.3%.
Freya Shuttleworth, AHDB dairy and livestock analyst, said the pig sector was still being impacted by severe challenges.
These include low pig prices, increasing feed costs, volatile markets and ongoing issues with getting pigs moved off the farm for slaughter.
She said: "It is unsurprising that the latest release of the UK livestock population at 1 June shows the total pig population has fallen 2.5% in 12 months, to 5.19 million head.
"These sharp drop offs in numbers demonstrate the impact of the tough conditions, with producers leaving the industry or contracting their herds in response to continued negative farm margins."
The pig sector has experienced a continuous loss-making situation since October 2020, with cumulative loss across all producers since then estimated by AHDB to be well over £700m.
In response, the National Pig Association (NPA) recently urged the government to roll out essential reforms across the pork supply chain to avert the collapse of the sector.
These include the introduction of legislation to underpin new pig contracts, which would allow producers, marketing groups and processors to negotiate terms to ensure a fair price for producers.
The NPA's chairman Rob Mutimer, a Norfolk pig producer, said the sector had taken an 'absolute battering' over the past year.
“It has become fairly obvious to all involved that the supply chain, as it stands, is broken," he warned.
"We believe the measures that we and others who have responded are calling for will, if implemented, form the basis of a stronger, more coherent supply chain where all parts have the opportunity to thrive.
“The government must act decisively and quickly before it is too late for the pig sector – and in order to fulfil its stated aims of reinforcing the UK’s food security.”
