Germany: VEZG pork price falls by 10 cents to €1.50

German pig farming is sliding further and further into the red. Spanish pork is causing surpluses on the EU market. While the major German food retailers largely support domestic production, wholesalers and the food service industry are mostly shirking their responsibility. Cheaper imported goods, instead of domestic pork, are leading to the collapse of domestic production!

Posted on Jun 12 ,00:30

It's another severe blow for German pig farmers in the middle of barbecue season: The VEZG price plummeted by 10 cents this week sinking to a disastrous level of €1.50/kg carcass weight. Following the decline at the beginning of May, this is the next heavy blow at a time when a seasonal upswing would normally be expected. Domestic pig farming is thus sliding even deeper into the existential loss zone. The combined losses from piglet production and fattening now amount to around €50 per animal – a deficit similarly catastrophic to that seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

EU market oversupplied

The fact that the pork market is performing so weakly despite the barbecue season and a seasonally declining supply of live animals is extremely unusual. The fundamental problem lies in the EU market, which is suffering from a significant oversupply. The outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in Spain and the subsequent trade restrictions imposed by key Asian third countries are putting massive pressure on the entire European meat market. The reason these export bans are having such a severe impact on the continent is Spain's enormous market share: The country has been expanding its pig population for years, overtaking Germany as the largest pork producer as early as 2021 and setting a new record high last year with 5.25 million tons of pork produced.

ASF keeps Spanish meat in the EU

Accordingly, the shifts in Spanish trade flows caused by ASF restrictions are now becoming a problem for all of Europe, simply due to the sheer volume involved. Spanish exports to third countries plummeted by 15.7% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year, falling to 318,000 tons. These meat quantities had to be placed within the EU single market, causing Spanish exports to other EU member states to explode by over 20% to around 417,000 tons during the same period. Since Germany sells around 80% of its exports within the EU, domestic producers are feeling the pressure directly. Furthermore, the slump in the domestic restaurant sector is noticeably dampening out-of-home consumption.

Grocery retailers show their colors

In this phase of extreme pressure, consumers are called upon to support German agriculture by purchasing German products. Many food retailers have been increasingly demonstrating how transparency and support for domestic agriculture can work. These retailers actively advertise products of German origin and rely on clear labeling such as the " Gutes aus Deutscher Landwirtschaft" (Good from German Agriculture) seal from the ZKHL (Central Association of German Food Retailers) – in supermarkets, German origin (5xD) is specifically promoted as a quality indicator.

Wholesalers and food service providers are evading responsibility

Wholesalers, the main suppliers for restaurants, canteens, and large-scale buyers, almost universally shirk this responsibility—just like their aforementioned customers—and often leave the origin of the meat shrouded in mystery. A look at the current advertising campaigns of leading wholesalers reveals considerable bewilderment: Many companies are currently almost entirely foregoing transparent origin information. In a recent spot check, a clear indication of German origin was rarely found. At best, there is vague mention of German processing —which says nothing about the animal's birthplace, rearing location, or slaughterhouse. For other products, the origin is simply declared as " EU ," the QS certification seal is completely missing, or information is lacking even for advertised premium selections . The logical conclusion: This meat most likely does not come from domestic farms.

Despite the difficult situation in the restaurant industry, responsibility remains

Even though the current situation in the restaurant industry is anything but easy, the catering sector, as a significant consumer of pork, cannot ignore domestic production. After all, restaurants have received support through the reduction in VAT to maintain the strength of the domestic economy. Looking at the aggressive and successful advertising in the retail food sector promoting German origin, there are simply no more excuses for wholesalers and the catering industry.