Romania’s Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, recently stated that the country would need an additional 3 million pigs and approximately 100,000 beef cattle in order to achieve 100% self-sufficiency in meat production. The remarks were made during an official visit to Botoșani County, in the context of presenting optimistic data on the 2024 agricultural output.

“We still need 3 million pigs and almost 100,000 beef cattle. We are 170% self-sufficient in poultry and last year we exported more than 200 million chickens,” the minister declared. He added that the autumn harvest exceeded 18.9 million tons and that in the first quarter of 2025 meat production increased by more than 13%.

However, the figures presented raise some questions. According to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), Romania’s pig herd has been steadily declining in recent years, reaching approximately 2.5 million head in 2024. The objective of increasing this herd by 3 million implies a doubling, in a context where African swine fever remains a major problem and the number of small farms continues to fall. In addition, the lack of modern slaughterhouses and the pressure of import prices complicate the revival of this sector.

As for the cattle sector, Romania currently has around 1.8 million head, but the majority are dairy cows or crossbreeds, while the number of specialized beef cattle is estimated at fewer than 100,000 head, including breeds such as Angus or Charolaise. Supporting the growth of these herds would require substantial investments in genetics, breeding infrastructure, pastures, and adapted slaughter facilities.

The statement regarding 170% self-sufficiency in poultry is supported by the strong production capacity of the Romanian poultry sector. Romania produces over 450,000 tons of poultry meat annually, a significant share of which is exported. However, high feed costs and pressure from external markets generate vulnerabilities in this seemingly strong-performing sector.