For pig farmers in Germany, the slaughter capacity is becoming increasingly strained. It is still unclear when production can resume at Tönnies’ main site. This has led to animals accumulating in the barns of finishing farms and piglet breeding farms, and the meat price has dropped sharply.
According to the German Ministry of Agriculture, approximately 14 percent of the slaughter capacity is currently unavailable due to coronavirus cases among staff and measures implemented on farms.
The Tönnies factory in Rheda-Wiedenbrück was closed three weeks ago until July 17, after 1,400 employees were infected with the coronavirus. A new hygiene plan submitted by Tönnies on Thursday did not result in a decision to restart production.
Tönnies is by far the largest processor in Germany of slaughter-ready pigs. The association representing pig farmers in Germany (ISN) estimates that between 70,000 and 100,000 pigs per week have not been slaughtered so far. Other sources mention a backlog in processing of 400,000 animals.
On Friday, the ISN demanded clarity on when the slaughtering and cutting operations in Rheda can resume. “The situation on pig farms is worsening every day, not only in the Gütersloh district but throughout Germany,” states the current ISN market report. The association specifically criticizes the district administrator of Gütersloh, Sven-Georg Adenauer (CDU). With his lack of clarity on a possible reopening, he is putting all German pig farmers in a situation threatening their livelihoods, the ISN says.
The federal chamber of veterinarians also called for swift solutions. Traders have stopped making agreements with finishing farms. Due to the sharply reduced slaughtering, there is an oversupply of pigs, which recently lowered their price. According to VEZG, it has fallen by 19 cents within two weeks to 1.47 euros per kilo. At the beginning of the year, farmers received about 1.90 euros. German pig farmers are currently losing some 20 million euros in just one week.