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Pig Farming in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Veton Hoxhaj Veton Hoxhaj Frankfurt, Germany Last Updated: October 2024 WZ A01.46DE

Revenue

€6.8bn

2024

€6.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XXX.Xm

Employees

27,425

Businesses

7,281

Wages

€XXX.Xm

Pig Farming in Germany industry analysis

In recent years, the sector has had to contend with high feed prices, falling producer prices and growing demands in terms of animal welfare and environmental protection. The ongoing structural change in the industry is also leading to many small farms leaving the market, while livestock numbers are increasing on average. While domestic demand for pork has declined, the industry has benefited from strong demand from abroad over the past five years, with the exception of 2019 and China's import ban due to the outbreak of African swine fever. However, the coronavirus crisis led to a sharp decline in sales. Between 2019 and 2024, industry sales fell by an average of 6.5% per year. For the current year, IBISWorld expects slight sales growth of 0.6% to 6.8 billion euros.The situation should ease somewhat in the current year, as falling inflation is likely to have a positive effect on consumer confidence. Although per capita meat consumption is expected to fall overall, the industry should benefit from growing demand for organic meat. However, the outbreak of African swine fever continues to pose an incalculable risk. Fluctuations in producer prices for animal feed and pork prevent reliable planning. In the current year, the fall in feed prices and the slight rise in producer prices for pork are having a positive effect on the profits of industry players. Over the past five years, industry players have often been unable to benefit from the rise in consumer prices for pork, as producer prices have fallen over the same period. Over the next five years, turnover is expected to grow by an average of 0.3% per year and reach 6.8 billion euros in 2029.With the expected decline in per capita meat consumption, domestic demand for pork is also likely to fall. The German government's plan to improve livestock farming and animal welfare by 2040 means that pig farmers will face enormous costs for reorganisation measures and changes in animal husbandry. As not all industry players can afford these investments, structural change is likely to continue and the number of farms will continue to decline.

Trends and Insights

  • The per capita consumption of pork continues to fall. This is particularly due to increasing health awareness and changing eating habits.
  • The sale of fattening pigs generates the largest share of turnover. This has already grown in the last five years and will continue to increase.
  • Most companies in the sector are located in the North region. Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein play a particularly important role, as many companies from downstream sectors are also based there.
  • Conventional farms compete with each other mainly on the price of their products. These are relatively homogeneous and do not differ greatly in quality, which is why pig farmers try to realise economies of scale by keeping as many animals as possible.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 6.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €6.8bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Structural change requires high levels of investment from industry players

  • For decades, agriculture in Germany has been undergoing a structural change from many small farms to fewer and fewer, but large farms with high livestock numbers.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Pig Farming in Germany
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Biggest companies in the Pig Farming in Germany

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
LFD Holding GmbH
80.1
Potsdamer SauenHain GmbH
68.7
Wittmann See Schweine KG
67.1

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Pig Farming in Germany
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Fattening pigs, Piglet and Gilts. Fattening pigs is the largest segment of the Pig Farming in Germany.

Trends and Insights

Fattening pigs have by far the largest share of industry sales

  • Fattening pigs are pigs that are fattened in intensive pig farming. After around six months of fattening, they have reached their slaughter weight of around 120 kilograms live weight and are sold.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The activities of the pig farming sector include the rearing, fattening and breeding of pigs. The industry is characterised by increasing specialisation, with industry players concentrating on breeding, gilts rearing, piglet production, piglet rearing or fattening.

What's included in this industry?

Fattening pigsPigletGilts

Companies

LFD Holding GmbHPotsdamer SauenHain GmbHWittmann See Schweine KG

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

BOX STANDSLIDED FLOORJUNGSAU

Industry Code

WZ 2008

WZ 01.46 - Pig Farming in Germany

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

The per capita consumption of pork continues to fall. This is particularly due to increasing health awareness and changing eating habits.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The sale of fattening pigs generates the largest share of turnover. This has already grown in the last five years and will continue to increase.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Most companies in the sector are located in the North region. Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein play a particularly important role, as many companies from downstream sector...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Conventional farms compete with each other mainly on the price of their products. These are relatively homogeneous and do not differ greatly in quality, which is why pig farm...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

There are no major players in the sector. The industry is still predominantly made up of small family businesses that have joined together in producer groups.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of LFD Holding GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Potsdamer SauenHain GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Wittmann See Schweine KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for LFD Holding GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Potsdamer SauenHain GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Wittmann See Schweine KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Due to changing eating habits, a change in the population structure and new nutritional trends, the per capita consumption of meat has decreased in recent years. As red meat ...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Rising feed and energy prices are increasing the expenses of pig farmers. In most cases, the potential for savings has already been fully utilised, which makes it more diffic...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Pig Farming industry in Germany in 2024?

The market size of the Pig Farming industry in Germany is €6.8bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Pig Farming in Germany industry in 2024?

There are 7,281 businesses in the Pig Farming industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Pig Farming industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Pig Farming industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 6.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Pig Farming industry in Germany over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Pig Farming industry in Germany is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Pig Farming market in Germany?

The biggest companies operating in the Pig Farming market in Germany are LFD Holding GmbH, Potsdamer SauenHain GmbH and Wittmann See Schweine KG

What does the Pig Farming in Germany include?

Fattening pigs and Piglet are part of the Pig Farming industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Pig Farming in Germany?

The company holding the most market share in Germany is LFD Holding GmbH.

How competitive is the Pig Farming industry in Germany?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Pig Farming industry in Germany.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Germany include:

  • German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
  • European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
  • United Nations Comtrade

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.