The supply of pigs in 2026 is expected to be tighter than last year as the sow population contracts across Europe, according to IFA pig chair Michael McCaffrey.

However, the price pig farmers are currently receiving at the farm gate is not improving and is currently ranging between €1.78c/kg to €1.84c/kg.

“The sow population in Europe has fallen 13% in the last six years and it’s expected to fall more in 2026 – this is all dependent on prices. Self sufficiency in Europe was at 126%, which meant we had a good bit to export and that’s down to 116%,” McCaffrey said.

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While retail pork prices at home and in the United Kingdom increased by approximately 3% in 2025, profitability is falling on Irish farms.

Pig farmers experienced price cuts totalling 32c/kg in the space of four months last autumn, and profitability fell to as low as 6c/kg on many farms.

“When you see the price of beef and lamb holding their own, you’d expect pig meat to increase another bit,” McCaffrey told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“At the minute feed costs are €1.22c/kg and other costs are 60c/kg – we’re not making a lot of money to be honest. You’d love to see a pig price of well over €2/kg,” he said.

Outlook

The outlook for 2026 is hazy at the minute according to McCaffrey, who said that farmers and processors alike are still navigating new grading systems which have been introduced.

In November, Rosderra suppliers were enrolled in a non-voluntary grading system which essentially penalises farmers for fat pigs.

“You can’t change your lean meat percentage overnight. That’s where there are discrepancies with it at the minute, with farmers trying to find their feet,” he said.

Tweaking AI choices and feeding regimes are among the actions farmers are undertaking to comply with the new system.