Falling pork prices put Styrian family farms under pressure

The latest fall in pork prices is no longer economically viable for more than 3,700 family farms in Styria, the Styrian Farmers’ Association warned on Friday, according to ORF. It called for measures to address the decline, which has brought prices down by about 10 cents to 1.43 euros per kilogram.

The association said production standards should be brought closer together across the European single market. It said Spanish premium pork cuts, whose exports to China have been halted because of African swine fever, have been flooding the European market since autumn 2025.

Austria’s pork sector is dominated by family farms, while Spain relies on large, export-oriented companies that can offer lower prices, the association said. Its chairwoman, Simone Schmiedtbauer, called for EU-wide alignment of animal husbandry standards to ensure comparable conditions for suppliers.

The association also wants country-of-origin labelling to be introduced as soon as possible, including in restaurants. It said it would seek closer cooperation with partners such as Mexico and Vietnam to export less popular cuts, including pigs’ feet and ears, and make fuller use of each animal.