The era of consistent pig industry growth in Russia may come to an end
Despite a robust growth in pork exports, Russia may see the end to a vast pig industry expansion that has lasted for nearly 15 years. In the first half of 2025, Russia’s pork production in slaughter weight went down by 0.8% to 2.34 million tons. Those figures were released by AB-Center, a Moscow-based consultancy.
The country’s pig industry problems are also reflected in feed production. During the first half of 2025, the output in the pig feed segment dropped by 2.1%. That percentage was shared by the Savkina Expert Group, a Moscow-based consultancy. Production of premixes for pigs declined by nearly 4%, the analysts calculated.
The negative dynamics run counter to forecasts of continued, consistent growth in the Russian pig industry for several more years.
No more rapid growth
If sources predict growth, it will be modest. The Russian pig industry will grow at a pace ranging between 1-3% per year in the next few years, Agroinvestor, a local publication, reported in August 2025. The media outlet cited the forecast of the Russian National Union of Pork Producers (RUPP).
This growth figure is a far cry from the 6-10% annual rise seen over the last 15 years. The RUPP explained that the figures show that Russia’s pork market has entered a mature stage of its development.
Monthly pork production in Russia ranges from 0 to a 2% decline, said Yuri Kovalev, general director of the RUPP, during the organisation’s annual meeting. The negative dynamics are primarily due to veterinary issues and a production decline in regions bordering Ukraine.
Despite the current challenges, Kovalev expressed optimism, stating that the industry is hopeful for a reversal of the trend in the 2nd half of the year. He anticipates a growth of 0.5%-1% in Russian pork production by the end of 2025.
General slowdown of Russian economy
Russian pork production is declining amid the general slowdown of the Russian economy. In July 2025, the output in the civil segments dropped by 2.3%, as estimated by the Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting, a government think tank. That indicator is believed to have remained in the red zone since February, as production is falling across most of the civil sectors, from coal mining to automotive production.
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