World meat industry news

 Pork production in Russia does not seem to have reached its peak yet. Russian animal production remained on an expansion course last year. Rising livestock numbers lead us to expect further growth in pork in 2020.

According to the Russian Federal Statistical Service (Rosstat), production of all types of meat increased by 1.9% compared to 2018 to a total of 15.2 mill. t live weight (LG). The strongest growth was again recorded in pork production, which increased by 5.1% to around 5.0 mill. t. Growth rates were more moderate at 0.8%t to 2.8 mill. t for beef and 0.6% to 6.7 mill. t for poultry, reported AgE. Only the volume of sheep and goat meat, at 462,200 t, fell short of the previous year's level by 4.3%. Milk production increased by 2.4% to 31.3 mill. t. At around 44.9 bn. head, egg production was roughly on a par with the previous year.

Pig herd continues to grow

As the statisticians from Moscow further reported, Russia started the new year mostly with higher animal stocks. On the cut-off date of 1 January 2020, 25.2 mill. pigs were officially kept in Russia, 6.2% more than twelve months previously. Russia is thus on the verge of overtaking Germany. In this country, only 25.9 mill. pigs were still being kept on the cut-off date of 3 November 2019, 2% less than in the previous year.

In contrast, the Russian cattle population of 18.1 mill. head was "only" at the previous year's level, with the herd of cows growing slightly by 0.3% to 8.0 mill. animals. Poultry farmers increased their stocks moderately by 0.6% to almost 545 mill. head. In contrast, the downward trend in sheep and goats continued. Their number decreased by 2.6% to 22.5 mill. animals compared to the beginning of 2019.