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According to USDA, Romanian swine inventories have been on a continuous downward trend since 2010, falling by 8 percent in five years. Inventory data collected for the December 1 2015 survey shows a decrease of 2.2 percent for swine, lower than the rate of decline from 2014 (2.6 percent). Live sows number declined further in 2015, as the backyard segment shrinks and the commercial segment with more productive sows strengthens.
Swine reproduction is relatively undeveloped in Romania, the level of investment being much higher than the investments required for a fattening operation. In order to satisfy the demand of the fattening facilities, a large number of piglets are imported from other EU member states. After a substantial increase in 2014 the pace of piglet import slowed down in 2015 given the strong competition with pork meat imports.
The trade data for the first semester of 2016 show a decline of 2.1 percent in swine live imports. More favorable market conditions at the EU level driven by rising demand in China in the second part of 2016 provide opportunities for a cost recovery in in the Romanian swine industry.
Live swine exports are in general very low due to animal health concerns and domestic demand. Romania exported 3,700 head in the first semester of 2016 to the neighboring Moldova Republic (490 heads), Georgia (1,240 heads) and Albania (1,900 heads).
Thursday November 17, 2016/ FAS-USDA/ United States.
http://gain.fas.usda.gov
