Bucharest, April 27, 2026 – Romania’s pig farming sector is going through one of the most difficult periods in recent years, and a significant number of commercial farms risk closure in the coming months, warns the Romanian Pork Producers Association (APCPR).

After a brief period of stabilization, farm-gate pig prices have returned to a sharply downward trend, precisely at a time when demand and consumption are beginning to increase.

According to data published by the European Union Pork Meat Observatory, in the first quarter of 2026, the average price of slaughter pigs in Romania (Class E carcass) declined by 17.8% compared to the same period in 2025 and currently stands 11.4% below the European Union average.

Romania now records the second lowest pork price in Europe, ranking even below the levels of the main countries from which it imports pork.

Currently, farmers are selling live pigs at approximately RON 5–5.5/kg, while the actual production cost exceeds RON 6.5/kg, generating direct losses and severely affecting farm sustainability.

Economic pressure is being further intensified by the ongoing effects of African Swine Fever (ASF), which has significantly impacted livestock numbers in recent years, limited access to certain markets, and blocked major investments.

At the same time, the expansion of pig farming in household backyards, in the absence of uniform biosecurity standards, continues to maintain a high epidemiological risk.

The market imbalance remains severe: the commercial sector produces approximately 3.3 million pigs annually, while domestic consumption exceeds the equivalent of 7 million head, with the deficit covered through massive imports.

The consequences are already visible:

• farms operating at a loss
• delayed or abandoned investments
• increased risk of farm closures
• job losses in rural areas
• rising dependence on imports, estimated at over €1 billion annually

APCPR warns that, in the current geopolitical context, maintaining domestic pork production is also becoming a matter of national food security.

The association is calling on authorities to urgently implement measures related to financial support for farms, reducing imbalances within the commercial chain, strengthening biosecurity, and facilitating access to financing.

The message from producers is clear: without rapid intervention, Romania risks permanently losing a strategic sector of its agri-food economy.

Choose Romanian pork!