Who made the Global Mega Producer list this year?

Pork — it’s a global business. The good news is the world loves pork. As the most consumed animal protein, people around the planet are selecting pork more times than beef or chicken.

No matter the size or location of your hog operation, the name of the game is to sell pounds of pork. Every pig farmers’ hog prices and financial bottom-line is impacted by global pork trade.  

Around the world, hog farmers are expanding their herds. More pigs globally, coupled with solid production performance in the United States, mean more product to sell — all while competitive meat and poultry are also expanding production.

Sow production is a serious business around the globe, and National Hog Farmer recognizes its value to the global pork trade. Regardless of a hog producer’s location or production practice style, the pork supply chain starts with the sow. 

Pork producers make large investments in many facets of production, but the most significant foundational piece is the genetic package. The sow dictates not only the number of pigs but more importantly, the quality of pigs as well.

The swine business worldwide is transforming. The major players in the pork game are shifting.

The Global Mega Producer package looks at the big picture — the interconnection of world pork production. It is a comprehensive picture of the worldwide pork industry. This elite listing of hog farms with over 100,000 sows illustrates the diversity of the global swine business. 

Twenty-seven pork producers owning 8.2 million sows can claim the title of Global Mega Producer in 2018. The mega global producers are as diverse as their geographic location.

Here are some key facts from this year’s Global Mega Producer list:

■ The 27 mega producers together own 8.2 million sows.
■ The mega producers are spread across eight countries — United States, China, Brazil, Thailand, France, Spain, Chile and Russia.
■ More mega producers reign from the United States; however, China is not far behind.
■ Smithfield, a subsidiary of WH Group, holds on to the top spot, but Wens is not far behind.
■ Zhengbang makes the biggest move up the ranking, rising from 24 to 10.
■ China’s mega producers added the most sows, with the addition of two new operations, along with several farms adding more than 100,000 sows in one year.

We invite you to get acquainted with this year’s global mega producers by checking out the new list.