Danish piglet exports face sharp cuts under new government plan

Danish pig farmers and transporters are warning of severe disruption after the new government announced plans to halve exports of live piglets for fattening and slaughter abroad, DR reports.

The policy, outlined in the coalition’s governing agreement, aims to shift more pork production back to Denmark. Last year, Danish farmers exported over 17 million piglets—primarily to Germany and Poland—where lower labour costs make processing cheaper. Under the new rules, only half that number would be permitted for export.

Lars Oddershede, a piglet producer in Thy, called the proposal “catastrophic” if implemented abruptly. “This simply can’t be solved overnight,” he said, adding that even a phased reduction would pose a major challenge. He currently sends his piglets abroad because Danish slaughterhouse wages—far higher than in Germany—make domestic processing unprofitable. “We’d prefer to sell locally, but the costs make it impossible,” Oddershede said.

Transport firms face equal uncertainty. Søren Westergaard, director of H&S Westergaard in Herning, which specialises in live piglet shipments, called the policy “misguided” and questioned its legality under EU single-market rules. “We have a trade we can be proud of,” he said. “I don’t believe it’s legal to single out one commodity and ban its trade between EU countries.” Westergaard suggested the government’s plan would violate the bloc’s free movement of goods, adding, “I think EU regulations protect us here.”