February is approaching, but meat demand in China does not get going before the peak of the season, according to a market report from German swine group ISN.

Due to the extensive live supply, slaughter pig prices in China slipped again at the start of the year, making it difficult for pig farmers to cover production costs. Furthermore, according to Agra Europe, oversupply has dampened China's import demand for pork.

Currently, demand for meat in China is depressed. According to market analysts, this has resulted in falling slaughter pig prices with an extensive live offer. In the second week of January, prices slipped below the mark of 14 CNY (1.79 euros) per kilogram of live weight in the second week of January and, according to the national survey on Tuesday, were 13.80 CNY/kg (1.76 euros). This fell below the already not particularly high level from the beginning of January 2023 by almost 10%.

Slaughter pigs in China clear about the same as they do in Spain or Germany. In previous years, Chinese prices were significantly higher than they were in Europe. Private pig farmers, as well as large-scale commercial companies in China, continue to lose money because the pig price does not cover their production costs. According to the calculations of the Beijing Agricultural Department, the losses for the smaller farms amounted to around 18 euros per fattening pig in November 2023. For large corporations listed on the stock market, losses were lower per animal.