Over the past three years, DGZ has conducted 18,000 biosecurity audits on pig farms via the FarmFit platform. The results show a noticeable positive evolution with the average biosecurity scores for both internal and external biosecurity increasing slightly.

In general, external biosecurity scores better than internal, but the difference between the two is getting smaller, DGZ notes during the latest audit. The difference in scores between companies is also getting smaller. There are fewer and fewer companies that are far below the average score.

Of the 50 companies that scored lowest in the first audit, many are no longer active. The remaining companies do have a noticeably better score than in the past, which shows their efforts.

On sow farms, those with more sows tend to have a better biosecurity score on average than smaller farms.

After an audit, a risk analysis is drawn up, with an action plan to eliminate the most important risks on a farm. Pig farmers indicate that they mainly want to implement action points related to carcass management. The use of foot baths or boot washers, both at the entrance to the farm and between the different compartments, is also regularly mentioned as a point for improvement. In addition, measures for visitors are also subjects to which an action point is regularly linked. Finally, many actions are implemented to keep birds out of the barn.

It is striking that the number of action points related to these topics decreases over time. We also see a positive evolution in taking certain measures at most companies. This suggests that pig farmers are becoming increasingly aware of the risk factors to their company by identifying the action points with their veterinarian and then taking them seriously. However, especially in the area of ​​disinfection baths and boots and the hygiene lock, there appears to be room for improvement in the majority of companies.

• Increase in pig slaughter: 5,531,737 head were recorded in 2024, up 1.0% compared to the 5,476,066 head in 2023.

• Growth in pork production: pork production in 2024 reached 585,386 tons (t), an increase of 0.5% over the 582,652 t in the previous year.

• Regional distribution of production: 90% of swine production was concentrated in the Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins region, 8% in Maule, and the remaining 2% in other regions.

• Positive regional performance: the Maule, Santiago, and Los Ríos - Los Lagos regions showed growth rates of 4.0%, 7.1%, and 87.0%, respectively.

• Challenges in some regions: Ñuble, La Araucanía, and Valparaíso experienced decreases in pig production of 6.9%, 5.2%, and 31.8%, respectively.

• Increase in imports: the volume of imports in 2024 stood at 131,625 t, an increase of 18.1% compared to 2023. The value of these imports reached USD CIF 365.3 million, 19.2% higher than the 2023 total.

• Exports and their value: although exports decreased by 2.1% in 2024, from 274,017 t to 268,182 t, their FOB value was USD 749.1 million, 3.0% more than the value consolidated in 2023.

• Increase in apparent consumption: In 2024, apparent consumption reached 448,829 t, an increase of 6.9% compared to the 420,049 t recorded in 2023. Per capita consumption was estimated at approximately 22 kg per habitant.

• Share of domestic production and imports: The share of domestic production in total apparent consumption increased from 73.5% in 2023 to 70.7% in 2024. The share of imports increased from 26.5% to 29.3% in the same period.

In 2024, some 9.4 million pigs were slaughtered in Belgium, a slight increase of 0.4% or rather a stabilization after the historic low in 2023 when slaughter fell by 11% and for the first time in more than 30 years, fewer than 10 million animals were slaughtered. The dip came after several years of crisis marked by, among other things, poor pricing and an uncertain legal framework that caused many pig farmers to leave the business.

Historically, the pig sector remains the largest supplier of slaughtered animals in terms of weight (54%). In 2024, slaughtered weight will reach 945 million kg, a slight increase of 2% compared to the previous year.