If you don't know your breakeven price per kilo, you don't know if you're making money. That's it. Every other number in pig farming comes after this one.
Free Tool
Break-Even Price Calculator
Enter your costs and target weight to get the minimum farmgate price you need.
The Formula
Breakeven ₱/kg = Total Cost per Head ÷ Target Market Weight (kg)
Total all your costs for raising one pig from weaner to market weight (piglets, feed, vaccines, labor, housing amortization, everything), then divide by the kilograms you expect to sell. The number you get is the minimum farmgate price you need to not lose money.
Quick Reference: Breakeven by Cost Level
| Total Cost per Head | Target Weight | Breakeven ₱/kg | Margin @ ₱185/kg | Margin @ ₱200/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₱8,000 | 90 kg | ₱88.89 | ₱96.11 | ₱111.11 |
| ₱10,000 | 95 kg | ₱105.26 | ₱79.74 | ₱94.74 |
| ₱10,000 | 100 kg | ₱100.00 | ₱85.00 | ₱100.00 |
| ₱12,000 | 100 kg | ₱120.00 | ₱65.00 | ₱80.00 |
| ₱14,000 | 100 kg | ₱140.00 | ₱45.00 | ₱60.00 |
| ₱15,000 | 100 kg | ₱150.00 | ₱35.00 | ₱50.00 |
| ₱18,000 | 100 kg | ₱180.00 | ₱5.00 | ₱20.00 |
| ₱19,000 | 100 kg | ₱190.00 | -₱5.00 | ₱10.00 |
At ₱190/kg total cost with a ₱185/kg market price, you are losing ₱5 on every kilo, or ₱500 on a 100 kg pig. When farmgate prices crashed to ₱150-₱165/kg in late 2025 (driven by pork imports flooding the market), many operations in that cost range were bleeding money every month.
Worked Example: A 10-Head Backyard Batch in Cebu
This is what an actual breakeven calculation looks like for a backyard farmer buying Landrace/Large White cross weaners:
| Cost Item | Per Head | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weaner piglet (10-12 kg) | ₱3,200 | LW cross from local multiplier |
| Starter feed (B-MEG, ~25 kg) | ₱1,050 | ~₱42/kg, first 3 weeks |
| Grower feed (B-MEG, ~80 kg) | ₱2,800 | ~₱35/kg, weeks 4-10 |
| Finisher feed (B-MEG, ~120 kg) | ₱3,840 | ~₱32/kg, weeks 11-18 |
| Vaccines + dewormer | ₱350 | Hog cholera, deworming ×2 |
| Utilities + misc | ₱300 | Water, electricity, quicklime |
| Housing amortized | ₱500 | ₱50,000 pen ÷ 10 heads ÷ 10 batches |
| Total cost | ₱12,040 |
Target weight: 95 kg at 4.5 months
Breakeven: ₱12,040 ÷ 95 = ₱126.74/kg
With the DA's suggested farmgate floor of ₱210/kg (set November 2025), this farmer's margin would be ₱83/kg or roughly ₱7,900 per head. But in reality, farmgate prices in Cebu have been closer to ₱170-₱195/kg in early 2026. Still profitable, but not the ₱210 the DA announced.
Most farmers we talk to don't calculate this. They know they spent "around ₱12,000" and sold for "around ₱17,000" and figure they made money. But "around" hides the details that actually matter. Did that batch have an FCR of 2.8 or 3.4? Mao na ang kalainan.
What Moves Your Breakeven (And How to Fix It)
These are the five levers, ranked by impact.
1. Feed cost (60-70% of total). This is the single biggest variable. If you're on 100% commercial feeds like B-MEG or Thunderbird, your feed cost per head runs ₱7,500-₱10,000. Switching to a mixed ration (commercial concentrate + rice bran/copra meal) can drop this to ₱5,500-₱7,500, which cuts breakeven by ₱15-25/kg. See the feed calculator to estimate your specific feed cost, and our guide on cheapest way to feed pigs for mixed ration formulas.
2. FCR (feed conversion ratio). An FCR of 2.8 vs 3.5 on a 85 kg gain (10 kg weaner → 95 kg market) means 238 kg vs 298 kg of feed consumed. At ₱33/kg average feed cost, that's ₱1,980 per head, or ₱20/kg on your breakeven. Track your FCR with the FCR calculator. Backyard FCR in the Philippines typically runs 3.0-3.5; commercial farms hit 2.5-2.8. The gap is mostly feed waste and heat stress.
To improve FCR without spending more: fix your feeder design (trough feeders waste 10-15% more than tube feeders), provide clean water ad-lib (dehydrated pigs eat less), and keep pen temperatures below 30°C with shade and ventilation. These are free or nearly free changes that can shave 0.2-0.3 off your FCR.
3. Piglet price. Weaners range from ₱2,500 (native cross, roadside) to ₱5,000+ (Duroc-sired from accredited multipliers). A ₱1,500 difference in piglet cost moves breakeven by ₱15/kg. But don't just buy the cheapest weaner. A ₱2,500 native cross with FCR 3.5 costs more in feed than a ₱4,000 commercial cross with FCR 2.8. Do the math.
4. Mortality. If you lose 1 pig in a 10-head batch, the surviving 9 must absorb the dead one's costs. Your effective breakeven rises by ~11%. Backyard mortality runs 5-10%; commercial targets 3-5%. Every pig saved is profit. See our guides on disease prevention and ASF biosecurity.
5. Market weight. Selling at 85 kg instead of 100 kg raises breakeven by roughly ₱15-20/kg because your fixed costs (piglet, vaccines, pen) are spread over fewer kilos. Push to target weight. But avoid going past 110 kg where FCR degrades significantly and buyers start discounting for excess backfat.
Regional Breakeven Differences
Your breakeven is not the same in Cebu as in Bukidnon or Tarlac. Feed costs (the biggest component) vary by ₱1-3/kg depending on logistics costs, and farmgate selling prices differ by ₱10-25/kg.
| Region | Typical Feed Cost/kg | Typical Weaner Price | Est. Breakeven/kg | Farmgate Range (early 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Visayas (Cebu) | ₱33-36/kg | ₱3,000-₱3,500 | ₱120-₱140 | ₱175-₱195/kg |
| Davao Region | ₱31-34/kg | ₱2,800-₱3,200 | ₱115-₱135 | ₱170-₱190/kg |
| Western Visayas (Iloilo) | ₱33-35/kg | ₱2,800-₱3,300 | ₱118-₱138 | ₱165-₱185/kg |
| Central Luzon (Tarlac, Bulacan) | ₱32-35/kg | ₱3,200-₱4,500 | ₱125-₱150 | ₱180-₱200/kg |
| SOCCSKSARGEN | ₱30-33/kg | ₱2,500-₱3,000 | ₱110-₱130 | ₱160-₱180/kg |
Mindanao generally has lower input costs but also lower selling prices. The margin ends up being similar, maybe slightly better for efficient backyard operators. If you're selling to Cebu lechon buyers or Davao's Kadayawan market, timing matters as much as cost control.
Is Pig Farming Profitable in 2026?
Honest picture based on current numbers:
| Metric | Backyard (5-20 head) | Semi-Commercial (20-100 head) |
|---|---|---|
| Total cost per head | ₱9,600 - ₱14,900 | ₱12,800 - ₱19,200 |
| Breakeven ₱/kg (at 95-100 kg) | ₱96 - ₱149 | ₱128 - ₱192 |
| Farmgate price range (Q1 2026) | ₱165 - ₱200 | ₱170 - ₱210 |
| Estimated profit per head | ₱1,500 - ₱10,400 | ₱0 - ₱8,200 |
Margins are thin but positive for most operations if costs are controlled. The late 2025 price crash (farmgate fell to ₱150-₱165/kg in some areas due to cheap imports under reduced tariffs) pushed many operators below breakeven. The DA set a ₱210/kg floor price in November 2025 and recommended restoring import tariffs from 25% to 40%. Prices have partially recovered but remain volatile.
If your breakeven is above ₱160/kg, you are exposed to serious risk in any price dip. Look at where you can cut: switch to mixed feeding, negotiate weaner prices, fix FCR problems. Use the profit simulator to model different scenarios before committing to your next batch.
The operators who survive price dips are the ones who:
- Know their exact breakeven number (not "mga ₱130 siguro")
- Keep FCR under 3.0
- Buy weaners at fair prices from reliable sources
- Time batches to avoid selling into soft markets (December-January typically weakest)
Sensitivity: How Price Changes Affect Your Batch
For a pig raised at ₱12,000 total cost and 100 kg target weight:
| Market Price ₱/kg | Revenue per Head | Profit per Head | Profit on 10-Head Batch |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₱150 | ₱15,000 | ₱3,000 | ₱30,000 |
| ₱170 | ₱17,000 | ₱5,000 | ₱50,000 |
| ₱185 | ₱18,500 | ₱6,500 | ₱65,000 |
| ₱200 | ₱20,000 | ₱8,000 | ₱80,000 |
| ₱210 | ₱21,000 | ₱9,000 | ₱90,000 |
Every ₱10/kg change in market price moves profit by ₱1,000 per head. On a 10-head batch, that's ₱10,000. This is why tracking current farmgate prices and timing your market entry matters. And honestly, it's why backyard farmers with 5-10 heads are more resilient than semi-commercial operators with 50+ heads. You can hold pigs an extra week or two waiting for prices. A 50-head farm can't.
Calculate Your Exact Breakeven
The tables above use typical ranges. Your actual costs depend on location, feed source, genetics, management, and scale. Plug in your own numbers.
Open the Break-Even Calculator →
Sources: PSA Quarterly Livestock Surveys (farmgate prices Q3 2025); DA floor price announcement, November 2025; pig333.com production economics; ThePigSite economics; DA-BAI GAHP cost benchmarks; PIDS Discussion Paper on Small-Scale Hog Farming Profitability.
Bisaya / Cebuano
Unsaon pag-compute sa imong breakeven price
Ang formula: Total Gasto matag Ulo ÷ Target Weight (kg) = Breakeven ₱/kg
Pananglitan (Cebu, LW x Landrace):
- Total gasto: ₱12,000 (weaner ₱3,200 + feeds ₱7,700 + bakuna ₱350 + utilities ₱300 + tangkal ₱450)
- Target weight: 95 kg
- Breakeven: ₱12,000 ÷ 95 = ₱126/kg
Kung ang farmgate sa imong lugar ₱180/kg, ang ganansya ₱54/kg, o ₱5,130 matag ulo. Maayo na kana.
Pero kung ang gasto nimo ₱15,000 (tungod sa mahal nga weaner o taas nga FCR), ang breakeven ₱158/kg. Kung moubos ang presyo ngadto sa ₱165/kg sama sa nahitabo sa late 2025, ₱7/kg na lang ang margin. Delikado na kaayo.
3 ka paagi aron pakunhuran ang breakeven:
- Pag-mix og feeds. Commercial concentrate + darak + copra meal makatipig og ₱2,000-₱3,000 matag ulo kaysa sa 100% commercial feeds. Pero kinahanglan sakto ang ratio.
- Pag-improve sa FCR. Kung ang FCR nimo 3.5, mogasto ka og 298 kg feeds. Kung 2.8, 238 kg lang. Ang kalainan 60 kg × ₱33/kg = ₱1,980. Para ma-improve: ayaw usik-i ang feeds (gamit og tube feeder), hatagi og tubig kanunay, ug pabugnaw-a ang tangkal.
- Ayaw palit og mahal nga weaner kung di na kinahanglan. Ang ₱4,500 nga Duroc-sired maayo kung ibaligya para lechon. Pero kung standard farmgate ra, ang ₱3,200 nga LW cross parehas ra ang ganansya.
Ang pinaka-importante: hibal-i kini nga numero ANTES ka mopalit og weaner, dili PAGKAHUMAN. Gamita ang Break-Even Calculator, libre ra.
Also useful:
- Feed Calculator: estimate feed consumption and cost by growth phase
- How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Pig?: detailed cost breakdown with vaccine checklist
- The Real Cost of Pig Feed: feed price analysis and locally mixed ration economics
- Pig Farming Profit for 10 Pigs: real numbers for a backyard batch
