Company development until 2035

Pig farmers are increasingly focusing on reorientation

• The structure of farms with pig farming as their main production branch will change in particular. 45% of respondents stated that new branches of the business will be established. Pig farmers see particular potential for farm development in the introduction or expansion of renewable energies. 11 % of farms expect to close down completely, while a further 9 % expect to shrink. At the same time, 53% expect growth. Only 26% expect to be running their business in 2035 in a similar form to today. These figures reflect the challenges facing the sector: animal welfare debates, price pressure and political uncertainties are forcing many farms to restructure or diversify.

Dairy farmers see growth potential

• Farms with dairy farming as their main production sector are comparatively stable. Only 6% expect to close down and 2% to shrink. 56% expect growth - the highest figure of all farm sectors. This may be due to the stable conditions on the milk market, among other things.

Arable farming shows stability with limited growth

• Of the farms surveyed with arable farming as their main production sector, 12 % stated that the farm would no longer be in operation in 2035 and 8 % expect the farm to shrink. 43 % expect that their farm will still be run in a similar form in 2035 as it is today. 44% of respondents even expect growth. The results show consistency in business development: further growth is being held back regionally by the scarce availability of space. Increasing climate risks are also slowing down business growth.
• Not shown in the graph, but worth mentioning, is that 12% of the market fruit producers surveyed want to enter niche marketing: New crops offer opportunities to develop new markets. Among pig farmers, this figure is only 6%.