# eFeedLink - China hog market: Sow inventory stays high, lower piglet output projection in Q1 2026

> China's December 2025 hog release volume was 57.16 million head, up slightly from November. The total breeding sow inventory rose to 41.44 million, the highest level of the year, and medium-scale producers kept expanding. Analysts also projected lower piglet output for Q1 2026.

- Date: 2026-01-16 · published 2026-01-16T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region China · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/21049-efeedlink-china-hog-market-sow-inventory-stays-high-lower-piglet-output
- Commodities: [Lean Hogs](https://feedsoft.ai/c/HOGS.md)

## Why it matters

Sustained high sow numbers point to ample hog supply, which weighs on domestic pork prices, while the lower piglet projection suggests tighter supply later. Feed buyers should expect steady but not strongly growing demand for feed ingredients.

## Read by commodity

- HOGS: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| HOGS | 2026-10-19 | [China Jan-Sept pork output rises as farmers cull herds to cut hog inventories \| MarketScreener India](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17100-china-jan-sept-pork-output-rises-as-farmers-cull-herds-to-cut-hog-inventories.md) | -2.8% | — |
| HOGS | 2017-01-03 | [China Sow Inventory Statistics Explained](https://feedsoft.ai/events/72996-china-sow-inventory-statistics-explained.md) | -0.9% | +7.3% |
| HOGS | 2021-01-18 | [China’s pork output recovers in 2020, beating expectations
						 \| The Pig Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/49143-china-s-pork-output-recovers-in-2020-beating-expectations-the-pig-site.md) | +1.8% | +10.0% |
| HOGS | 2023-03-07 | [China pork production expected to rise slightly in 2023 - GAIN report
						 \| The Pig Site](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36848-china-pork-production-expected-to-rise-slightly-in-2023-gain-report-the-pig-site.md) | +2.3% | -7.8% |
| HOGS | 2023-02-02 | [Grain prices, disease, China wild cards in pork market \| Feed Strategy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37344-grain-prices-disease-china-wild-cards-in-pork-market-feed-strategy.md) | +1.7% | +11.2% |

## Sources

- m.efeedlink.com: https://m.efeedlink.com/contents/01-16-2026/eefd9b65-de8a-4400-8f4a-0250379b705f-0002.html

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.