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Perleberg slaughterhouse closed: farmers fear for the future!
With the closure of the slaughterhouse, Perleberg is experiencing a change that presents farmers with new challenges. The Tönnies location in Weißenfels remains the only option while the investigation into African swine fever continues.
Perleberg slaughterhouse closed: farmers fear for the future!
The situation for pig farmers in Brandenburg and southern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has worsened dramatically. The slaughterhouse in Perleberg will be closed, while farmers are now forced to transport their animals to Tönnies in Weißenfels or to slaughterhouses in Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. These longer routes not only entail higher costs, but also conflict with efforts to improve animal welfare. This is what our colleagues report Agricultural today.
The Tönnies site in Weißenfels is the only large pig slaughterhouse in eastern Germany, which could further exacerbate the shortage in the region. The Federal Cartel Office has already expressed concerns and is currently conducting investigations. The suspicion of cooperation and coordination among competitors in the slaughter market is evidence of the tense conditions in the industry. The events received particular attention through searches in the Perleberg slaughterhouse, which took place in December and were initiated by officials from the State Criminal Police Office.
Swine fever causes uncertainty
Another aspect that complicates the situation is the suspicion of an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in the Tönnies slaughterhouse in Weißenfels. According to the Picture The company was immediately closed by the veterinary office after the first signs of infection were detected in a supplier. Fortunately, there is no danger to humans, but the highly contagious disease is usually fatal for pigs and has already increased the number of affected animals to around 150.
Even before this closure, positive tests for ASF in another fattening farm in Rügen-Western Pomerania had already raised alarm bells. The closure of the Weißenfels slaughterhouse could mean that farmers in the area will subsequently have difficulties marketing their animals. Any distribution of the slaughtered animals and their products is prohibited and a thorough disinfection of the establishment is necessary before reopening can be considered.
Impact on the industry
Other regions are also feeling the effects of ASF. In Hesse, for example, where ASF is also spreading, hygiene and safety measures are being tightened at the remaining slaughterhouses. In Fulda, where around 1,000 pigs are slaughtered every week, those responsible are concerned about protective measures. There, controls on farms in particular have been increased in order to prevent possible spread. Since the first ASF case in Hesse in June 2024, thousands of domestic pigs have already been killed and exclusion zones have been set up around the affected areas, which is putting additional strain on the situation, as reported by the Fulda newspaper is reported.
So the slaughterhouse crisis is not just a local problem; it reflects the challenges that the entire industry in Germany is facing. While the centralization of slaughterhouses continues, it remains uncertain how the situation will develop for pig farmers in the long term. The issue of animal welfare is becoming more and more pressing, and it remains to be hoped that the high pressure on the entire industry will finally lead to noticeable changes.