Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 March 2023
377. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of pig farms registered in the country; the number of pigs therein; the extent, if any, to which this number has fluctuated in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12192/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the provisions of the Animal Health Law (Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/429) and its supplementing legislation, my Department undertakes an annual pig census, generally in October. The annual census records pig data in respect of all pig herds registered with my Department. The data recorded in the Annual Pig Census 2017 to 2021 is detailed in the Table below.
The Annual Pig Census Reports are published on my Department’s website at gov.ie - National Pig Census (www.gov.ie)
Annual DAFM Pig Census 2017 - 2021
Total Recorded *Active Pig Herds and Pig Numbers in Ireland
|
Year |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Total No of Active Pig Herds |
1,674 |
1,682 |
1,631 |
1,675 |
1,693 |
|
Total Number of Pigs |
1,699,565 |
1,724,346 |
1,644,121 |
1,702,921 |
1,795,294 |
*For the purposes of the annual pig census report, an active herd is a herd that is currently populated, or which was reported to have been populated at some point in the immediate preceding 12 months.
My Department is currently in the process of completing the 2022 Pig Census Report which is scheduled for publication on my Department's website by end-March.
