According to preliminary results from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), despite temporary slaughterhouse closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meat production in Germany in 2020 was 7.8 million tons, down slightly (-1.6%) compared to 2019.
The results suggest that the limited processing capacity due to temporary closures caused by the pandemic had been absorbed by other companies. A total of 57.6 million head (swine, cattle, sheep, goats, and horses), as well as 670.1 million head of poultry (chickens, turkeys, and ducks) were slaughtered in slaughterhouses.
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Slaughter of imported pigs decreases by a third
In Germany, 53.2 million head of pigs were slaughtered in 2020, down 3.5% compared to the previous year. The number of domestic pigs slaughtered decreased by 1.7% to 50.9 million animals. The number of imported pigs slaughtered in German slaughterhouses decreased by 31.3% to 2.3 million animals. In total, German pork production in 2020 was 5.1 million t, 2.4% lower than in 2019.
![Meat production in Germany.](https://www.pig333.com/3tres3_common/art/pig333/17123/meat-production-in-germany_176541.jpg?w=820&q=1&ts=1653979446)
Meat production in Germany.
Between 2010 and 2020, poultry meat production increased by 17%, while pork and beef production, with slight fluctuations in certain years, remained at approximately the same level.
February 5, 2021/ Destatis/ Germany.
https://www.destatis.de/