Number of pigs on farms in Denmark 2011-2021
Pork production
The breeding of pigs and production of pig meat has been a major industry in Denmark for a long time. The country has one of the leading pig industries in the world. Pig meat produced in Denmark is characterized by its high quality; pig farmers constantly try to improve the welfare of live pigs. Among the 13 million pigs living on farms in 2021, the number of pigs for slaughtering was approximately 3.1 million animals.
Export trade
Today, Danish pork and bacon is popular worldwide, and Denmark is among the world’s largest pig meat exporters. Most of the domestically produced pig meat is for export, as international trade is essential for the Danish economy. The value of for example fresh or chilled pork exported from Denmark fluctuated over the past years and amounted to roughly 8.1 million Danish kroner in 2020.