Munich (dpa / lby) - The low prices and falling demand for pork are causing problems for breeders and fatteners in Bavaria. As the State Statistics Office announced on Friday, the number of farms has fallen rapidly by 400 to around 3,500 since the previous year. "Each farm accounted for an average of 697 pigs in November 2022, 19 fewer than in the previous year." In the survey on November 3rd, only 2.4 million pigs were counted in Bavaria, 12 percent fewer than in the previous year.

Farmers have long complained that meat prices hardly cover the costs. The costs of energy, fertilizer and feed have increased, and there have been new regulations for animal welfare and environmental protection. Pork consumption in Germany fell from 56 kilograms per person in 2010 to 44 kilograms in 2020. Nationwide, the number of pigs kept fell by 10 percent to 21.3 million animals.