Belarus has introduced a 10-12 months plan to revitalize its swine business after a decade of manufacturing declines and rising import stress. The technique goals to increase nationwide pork manufacturing from 413,000 tonnes in 2024 to 500,000 tonnes by 2034.
New Infrastructure and Targets
The plan consists of the building of 12 trendy pig farms by 2034, with 4 large-scale services designed to end extra than 100,000 pigs every per 12 months. These new farms are supposed to enhance effectivity and biosecurity whereas serving to exchange growing older infrastructure throughout the nation.
In parallel, older, much less productive farms will be shut down and repurposed for different livestock manufacturing, such as cattle or poultry, to enhance total useful resource use and financial viability.
Reversing a Steep Decline
The effort comes as Belarus works to reverse a long-time period decline in pig numbers. As of Q1 2025, the nationwide herd had dropped by 13% year-over-12 months—from 2.27 million pigs to 1.97 million. Practically all areas noticed herd reductions, with the Homel and Minsk areas dropping shut to one-third of their pigs over the previous 12 months. Solely the Mogilev area maintained steady numbers.
Biosecurity and Illness Prevention
A key driver of the modernization effort is the want to forestall illness outbreaks, particularly African Swine Fever (ASF), which has beforehand disrupted manufacturing. The new services will implement greater biosecurity requirements, managed environments, and technology-based mostly monitoring to cut back dangers and shield herd well being.
Competitors from Russian Pork
The plan additionally seeks to cut back reliance on pork imports, which have surged due to declining home provide. In 2024, Belarus imported 99,000 tonnes of pork, principally from Russia. Throughout Q1 2025 alone, 27,000 tonnes had been imported—a 50% enhance over the similar interval the 12 months earlier than. Russian pork now accounts for roughly 20% of the Belarusian market.
By rising home manufacturing and upgrading farm techniques, Belarus goals to regain self-sufficiency, restrict overseas competitors, and stabilize its pork sector over the subsequent decade.
