During 2020 the EU-27 (excluding the UK) pig inventory increased by 2% compared to 2019, surpassing 146 million head. By category, finishing animals increased 0.8% and piglets increased 5.6%, while the number of sows decreased by 0.5%.
![Change in EU-27 pig inventories (2020 vs. 2019).](https://www.pig333.com/3tres3_common/art/pig333/17272/change-in-eu-27-pig-inventories-2020-vs-2019_178551.jpg?w=820&q=1&ts=1653979446)
Change in EU-27 pig inventories (2020 vs. 2019).
![](https://www.pig333.com/3tres3_common/dist_nou/css/images/imb5.png)
The largest increases in pig inventory were in Bulgaria (+20.4%) and Hungary (+8.2%). In the case of Bulgaria, the emergence of ASF at the end of 2018 and its spread in domestic pigs in 2019 led to a significant decrease in the pig population in 2019, from which the country has been progressively recovering. In contrast, the largest declines occurred in Slovakia (-8.7%) and Sweden (-6.6%).
![Change by country in total pig inventory (2020 vs. 2019).](https://www.pig333.com/3tres3_common/art/pig333/17272/change-by-country-in-total-pig-inventory-2020-vs-2019_178553.jpg?w=820&q=1&ts=1653979446)
Change by country in total pig inventory (2020 vs. 2019).
Spain, with a 4.6% increase in its total pig inventory, is once again the leading pig producer in the EU-27, accounting for 22.37% of the European inventory, followed by Germany, with 17.8% of the total and a decrease of 0.2% compared to the previous year. France stands as the third-largest producer with a herd of 13.87 million head, Denmark with 13.4 million head, and Poland with 11.72 million head. Spain, Germany, France, Denmark, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium account for almost 85% of the total EU-27 pig population.
![Top EU-27 pig producers in 2020.](https://www.pig333.com/3tres3_common/art/pig333/17272/top-eu-27-pig-producers-in-2020_178550.jpg?w=820&q=1&ts=1653979446)
Top EU-27 pig producers in 2020.
In our pig production data section, you can view and compare data in graphical formats by country and category.
March 23, 2021/ 333 Staff with data from Eurostat.