EU meat production shifts as poultry grows and red meat declines
Pig meat still dominates as poultry output climbs
19 January 2026
1 minute read
By: Pig meat remained the largest source of meat production in the European Union in 2024, while poultry meat continued its long-term growth trend and rebounded strongly after recent declines, according to Eurostat’s Key figures on the European food chain – 2025 edition.
Total EU pig meat production reached 21.1 million tonnes in 2024, accounting for about half of all meat produced. Poultry meat production totalled 14.1 million tonnes, more than double the volume of bovine meat, which stood at 6.6 million tonnes. Sheep meat and goat meat production remained much smaller, at 370,000 tonnes and 37,000 tonnes, respectively.
Between 2009 and 2021, EU pig meat production grew relatively steadily, increasing 12.2% overall despite a decline in pig numbers. Production then fell 5.7% in 2022 and a further 6.5% in 2023, before partially rebounding in 2024 with a 2.2% increase. Even with that recovery, pig meat output in 2024 remained 2.3 million tonnes below its 2021 peak.
EU poultry meat production increased rapidly and relatively uniformly between 2009 and 2020, rising an estimated 33.3%. After production fell in 2021 and 2022, the upward trend resumed in 2023, when output rose 2.3%, and accelerated in 2024 with a 6% increase.
By contrast, production of bovine meat, sheep meat and goat meat generally declined over the 2009 to 2024 period. Bovine meat production fell 5.1%, while sheep meat and goat meat output dropped more sharply, by 17.2% and 38.3%, respectively.
