Between year 2000 and 2025, the total number of farms in Finland is set to halve to 37,000, according to a new report from the country’s Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). From 78,000 at the start of the century, the number of agricultural holdings had already fallen to just over 49,707 by 2016.
The same study points to an even more dramatic reduction in the number of pig farms, reports Maaseudun Tulevaisuus. By 2025, Luke predicts that just 454 pork holdings will remain- just 15 percent of those in operation in 2000.
Luke researcher, Arto Latukka, said that pig producers are leaving the industry not because of a single bad year, but only after long-term consideration of future business prospects.
Data from the statistics arm of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, FAOstat show a decline in Finnish pig meat production from 203,210 metric tons in 2010 to 186,130 metric tons in 2014, the most recent year for which data have been published. In 2000, output was 172,790 metric tons, indicating a consolidation of production since the turn of the century.
After launching a consultation two months ago, meat processor, Atria has announced it will cease pig slaughtering at processing at its plant in Jyväskylä, with the loss of 17 jobs there. The firm’s pork processing will be concentrated at its Nurmo facility. The changes will lead to savings estimated at EUR1.2 million (US$1.4 million).
Compared to the previous year, Atria reported significant improvements in its fiscal performance in 2016. On the strength of recent authorization to export to China, the firm had expanded and upgraded its pork processing capacity.
