Slight decrease in animal production expected in 2024

In the second semester of 2024, the gross indigenous production (GIP) of bovine animals produced in the EU is projected to reach 12.1 million head. This would indicate a decrease of 1% compared with the same period in 2023 when 12.2 million head of animals were produced.

The production of sheep is forecast to decrease by 7% to 15.6 million head in the second semester of 2024, while the production of goats is projected to decline by 9%, to 2.4 million head.

In the last quarter of 2024, the production of pigs is forecast to decrease by 1% compared with the same quarter of 2023, amounting to 57.7 million heads.

Source datasets: apro_mt_pcatlhs and apro_mt_ppighq

France expected to lead the EU’s bovine production

France is forecast to remain the largest producer of bovine meat in the second semester of 2024. It is expected to produce 2.7 million head, ahead of Germany (2.0 million), Spain (1.3 million) and Ireland (1.0 million). Malta (2 000), Cyprus (10 000), Luxembourg (32 000) and Croatia (41 000) are expected to have the smallest production.

Source dataset: apro_mt_pcatlhs

Leading producers: Spain for pigs and sheep, Greece for goats

It is projected that Spain will produce 13.6 million head of pigs in the fourth quarter of 2024. This would make it the largest pigmeat producing EU country, ahead of Germany (8.8 million head), and Denmark (7.3 million head). By contrast, Luxembourg is expected to produce as little as 12 000 head of pigs, Malta 14 000 head and Slovenia 74 000 head.

Among EU countries that reported data for sheep, Spain is expected to be the largest producer in the second semester of 2024 with more than 4.5 million head, followed by Romania (2.6 million) and Greece (2.1 million). 

Among EU countries that report on goats, it is projected that Greece, the EU's leading producer, will produce 1.0 million head in the second semester of 2024. Spain is expected to produce 0.5 million head, ahead of Romania with 0.4 million head.