German Meat Production Falls, Poultry Hit Hardest Amid Rising Consumption

Germany's meat production saw a notable decrease in the first half of the year, with poultry products experiencing the most significant drop. German facilities produced 755,000 tons of poultry meat, a 3.2% reduction compared to the same period last year. This marks the lowest poultry output since the first half of 2017, according to the Federal Statistical Office.

One potential reason cited for the decline in poultry production is the prevalence of infectious diseases within flocks. The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut noted that while a definitive link is difficult to establish due to data limitations, an outbreak of suspected fowl cholera in the spring led to the culling of approximately 4.9 million laying hens and broilers. Numerous outbreaks of avian influenza were also recorded in Germany in 2025.

In contrast to poultry, beef production decreased slightly by 0.1%, while pork production saw a minor increase. Pork continues to dominate German meat production, accounting for 63.7% of the total volume. In total, commercial slaughterhouses produced just under 3.4 million tons of meat, a 0.4% decrease from the previous year. This involved the slaughter of 22.2 million pigs, 1.4 million cattle, and 343.2 million poultry birds.

Interestingly, after years of dynamic growth, the production of vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes also declined. In the past year, 124,900 tons of such products were manufactured, a 1.2% decrease from the prior year. This follows a period of rapid expansion where production of meat alternatives more than doubled between 2019 and last year. Despite their growing popularity, these plant-based products remain a niche market compared to the overall meat industry, with the value of meat and meat products produced in Germany exceeding 45.2 billion euros last year.