Pork Prices in Latvia Have Sharply Increased: What Is Happening?

According to the agency, in August, the average market price of pork in Latvia was €180.97 per 100 kilograms. This is 26.8% higher than the previous month, but 11.1% lower than in August 2025. For comparison, in the European Union, pork prices increased by an average of only 5.5% in the same month, while year-on-year prices decreased by 20.7%. Thus, in August, pork in Latvia was 13.2% more expensive than the EU average, where the average market price of a pig carcass was €159.82 per 100 kilograms. **Where Is Pork More Expensive and Where Is It Cheaper?** A noticeable price increase in August was also observed in neighboring countries. In Lithuania, pork prices rose by 19.5% over the month, in Poland by 17.4%, and in Germany by 8.1%. In Estonia, prices remained at July levels, while in Denmark, they decreased by 9.1%. At the same time, compared to August of last year, pork prices fell in all the listed countries. The most significant decrease was recorded in Denmark — by 43.6%. In Estonia, prices dropped by 21.5%, in Germany by 19.7%, in Lithuania by 16%, and in Poland by 15.9%. Thus, among the countries for which specific prices are provided, the most expensive pork was found in Latvia, while the cheapest was in Denmark. **Pork Production in Latvia Is Declining** Against the backdrop of changing prices, the situation with meat production is also noteworthy. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, in the first half of 2026, the number of pigs slaughtered in Latvia decreased by 12.8% compared to the same period last year. The volume of meat produced fell by 11.2%. At the same time, the EU observed the opposite trend: the number of slaughtered animals increased by 1.6%, and meat production grew by 1.8%. Thus, while European pork production is generally increasing, it is significantly declining in Latvia. **What Is Happening with Pork Trade in Europe?** In the first five months of 2026, pork and pig farming product imports into the EU increased by 8.1% compared to the same period in 2025. Supplies from the UK grew by 2%, while imports from Chile decreased by 29.9%, and from Switzerland by 3.7%. Pork product exports from the EU during the same period fell by 1.4%. At the same time, European producers significantly increased supplies to certain foreign markets. Exports to South Korea rose by 52.2%, to Côte d'Ivoire by 32.7%, to Vietnam by 29.6%, and to the USA by 7.1%. At the same time, supplies to the Philippines decreased by 24%, to China by 20.6%, and to the UK by 6.6%. The largest global exporters of pig farming products in the first five months of 2026 remained the European Union, the USA, Brazil, and Canada. It is important to note that the prices provided by the Ministry of Agriculture refer to the wholesale market for pig carcasses and not to the cost of meat on store shelves. Therefore, a 26.8% increase does not mean that retail prices for pork in Latvia increased by the same amount in a month. However, the trend, unfortunately, is clear...