The number of pigs in the Novosibirsk region has almost halved - perhaps for a long time

According to Novosibirskstat, the number of all types of livestock in the region's farms at the end of February 2023 decreased compared to the corresponding date last year. The largest reduction was noted among pigs - it amounted to 46.2 percent.

The pigs did not suffer alone. Since the beginning of the special operation, cattle have decreased by 2.6 percent, goats and sheep - by 2.8 percent, poultry - by 4.1 percent. But with the losses among the pigs, this cannot be compared.

Interestingly, these losses for the region's agro-industrial complex are not directly reflected in the Novosibirskstat data. The state statistics authority separately publishes data on the number of animals in agricultural organizations, but since November 2022, such information on pigs has not been available. As explained in the department, this is done in accordance with federal law: "Information is not published in order to ensure the confidentiality of primary statistical data received from organizations."

However, some data is still available. So, in the Novosibirskstat report on the socio-economic situation of the Novosibirsk Region for 2022, there is information that “in agricultural organizations that are not small businesses” at the end of December 2022, compared to the corresponding date in 2021, the number of pigs amounted to 220.9 thousand heads - and this is less than last year on this date by 46.2 percent. Farms of all categories of pigs left 314.2 thousand, which is 35.7 percent less than a year earlier.

“According to the reporting data, as of April 1, 2023, agricultural organizations, K (F) Kh and IP contain 234,573 heads of pigs, which is 175,614 heads lower than the same period last year,” the Ministry of Agriculture of the Novosibirsk Region clarified in response to a request "New Siberia". That is, according to his calculations, in the farms of these categories of pigs, instead of 410,187 heads, there were 234,573, or 42.8 percent less.

Obviously, with all the differences in the forms of statistical calculations, the number of pigs in the region has decreased by at least a third, and at a maximum - almost twice. The Ministry of Agriculture does not see this as a problem, explaining the reduction by the rehabilitation and reconstruction of premises at the site of the Kudryashevsky Sibagro pig farm in Krivodanovka. “As of 04/01/2023, 457 main sows remained at the Krivodan pig farm. At present, the Krivodanovsky pig farm has practically suspended its activities for the production of pork MEAT, ”the ministry reports. Without saying that the company also suspended the reorganization.

Recall that in her first interview with the media, the HEAD of the Novosibirsk assets of Sibagro, Galina Irtuganova, said: there is high wear and tear at the site of the Kudryashovsky pig farm in Krivodanovka. The launch of the third stage in the Kolyvansky district increased the capacity for pork by 25 percent (bringing them to almost 100 thousand tons per year against the existing 81 thousand tons). Sibagro invested 9.8 billion rubles in its Novosibirsk enterprises, including more than 4 billion rubles. into pig breeding (a site in Kolyvan - 2.95 billion, a site in Krivodanovka - 1.1 billion). But at the Kolyvan site, the company faced "claims from control and supervisory authorities", as a result of which the previous DIRECTOR of the enterprise, Vladimir Gavrilenko, was under arrest.

“Following the results of the audit, changes in approaches to working with animal waste products are needed. Therefore, one of my tasks is interaction with supervisory authorities and the formation of further plans for the enterprise, taking into account the comments of specialists. I intend, together with the supervisory authorities and the government of the Novosibirsk region, to find solutions that will allow the enterprise to work, produce products and not give rise to complaints from inspectors. Until such a decision is made, the modernization of the Krivodanovskaya site has been stopped.”

The Ministry of Agriculture is confident that the production of pork meat in live weight in 2023 at JSC Kudryashovskoye will decrease to 52110 tons, in 2024 the livestock will recover to the level of 328057 heads, and the production of pork meat will return back to 81 thousand.

In response to a request from New Siberia, JSC Kudryashovskoye provided only a previously distributed press release about the start and schedule of the rehabilitation, saying that at the moment there is nothing to add to this information. The press release informs about the intention of Sibagro to invest 500 million rubles in the first stage of the reconstruction of the Krivodanovskaya site and that the repair work will be preceded by a phased reduction in the number of animals. The last pigs from fattening were supposed to leave on the 20th of January 2023, and from March-April, new residents were supposed to be brought into the actually rebuilt premises. Even in this situation, they could be sent for shipment only from February 2024.

Considering that the Sibagro Novosibirsk pig farm produces over 93 percent of all pork in the Novosibirsk region, there is a reasonable question: how can we manage without them? The ministry promises: “Rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Krivodanovsky pig farm will not affect the supply of pork meat to the population of the Novosibirsk region and processing enterprises. The EXPORT of pork meat from the Novosibirsk region is about 30 thousand tons.”

Prices for pigs for slaughter in live weight as of April 12, 2023 amounted to 107.7 thousand rubles per ton, which is 12.7 thousand rubles lower than a year ago. This additionally confirms the validity of the government's forecast: at least for the time being, there are no signs of an increase in the price of pork meat.

But the fact that the livestock at the Krivodanovsky pig farm and the issuance of pork to the mountain will be restored in accordance with the schedule, so far it remains only to believe the ministry. Sibagro itself does not demonstrate such optimism.