During the end of 2006 a comprehensive pig head count was undertaken. The reference date of the head count was 1 December. The total pig stock at that date amounted to 73,683 pigs, a rise of 658 pigs (+0.9 per cent) when compared to the 73,025 pigs which were registered in 2005 the National Statistics Office reported yesterday. The total number of pig farms recorded in this year’s survey amounted to 154.

Although the number of pigs recorded increased slightly, the pig population declined by 5.9 per cent when compared to 2002, when 78,303 pigs were recorded. Likewise to 2004, 2006 showed an increase over the previous year.

All categories except fattening pigs registered declines when compared to the 2005 pig survey. An increase of 11.7 per cent was registered in the “fattening pigs” group. All other categories registered declines, ranging from 1.1 per cent for the breeding stock to 5.9 per cent for piglets.

On a regional level, 69,051 pigs (93.7 per cent), were found in Malta, an increase of 0.5 per cent over 2005. The number of pigs in Gozo and Comino increased by 7.6 per cent from 4,303 pigs in 2005 to 4,632 in 2006.

Minor variations in the size structure of holdings were noted when compared to 2005. Whereas, in 2005, 28.2 per cent of all holdings had between 200 and 399 heads, the share of medium-sized pig holdings fell to 27.3 per cent in 2006. In addition, the share of small pig holdings (1 to 199 pigs) decreased from 34 per cent in 2005 to 33.7 per cent in 2006.