Many people regard the decrease in Denmark as a sign the decrease in the production has been grossly underestimated and it will be shown during the next few months how strong it really is going to be. The decrease may be so strong that the UK is now talking of a pig quote that during autumn may reach £2. “We are facing a supply problem that is bigger than ever before in Europe” writes Stewart Houston, president of the British National Pig Association, NPA, in a letter to the four largest retail chains in the UK.

The latest statements from Danmarks Statistik show that the number of sows fell by 10 to 11 per cent during the past year. At the same time the number of first time pregnant sows fell by 2.8 per cent, the number of gilts by 4.7 per cent and the number of piglets below 50 kg by 14 per cent.

Furthermore, Canada is half way through its planned 10 per cent decrease in its number of sows, and US pig producers envisage a pressure to reduce their production as well. According to the NPA this will even more add to the lack of pig meat in Europe over the next few months.