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.
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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 @ ₱176/kg (Q1 2026 avg) | Margin @ ₱185/kg (May 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₱8,000 | 90 kg | ₱88.89 | ₱87.11 | ₱96.11 |
| ₱10,000 | 95 kg | ₱105.26 | ₱70.74 | ₱79.74 |
| ₱10,000 | 100 kg | ₱100.00 | ₱76.00 | ₱85.00 |
| ₱12,000 | 100 kg | ₱120.00 | ₱56.00 | ₱65.00 |
| ₱14,000 | 100 kg | ₱140.00 | ₱36.00 | ₱45.00 |
| ₱15,000 | 100 kg | ₱150.00 | ₱26.00 | ₱35.00 |
| ₱18,000 | 100 kg | ₱180.00 | -₱4.00 | ₱5.00 |
| ₱19,000 | 100 kg | ₱190.00 | -₱14.00 | -₱5.00 |
At a ₱190/kg breakeven (₱19,000 spent on a 100 kg pig) with a ₱185/kg market price, you are losing ₱5 on every kilo, or ₱500 on a 100 kg pig. That is not hypothetical. PSA's national farmgate averaged ₱182.83/kg in Q4 2025 and ₱176.03/kg in Q1 2026 (Jan ₱172.56, Feb ₱176.31, Mar ₱179.23), while SINAG and NatFed independently put the industry's cost of production at about ₱180/kg. The average farm in this country is currently selling at roughly what it costs to produce. Imports are the reason the tight herd hasn't lifted prices: 851,760 MT of pork landed in 2025, and EO 116 (19 May 2026) quadrupled the tariff-quota volume to 204,210 MT.
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
Do not price this batch off the DA's suggested farmgate floor of ₱210/kg (set November 2025). That number has never actually been paid: not in a single month of PSA data, not in a single region, in the eight months since it was announced. It is an unenforced target, not a guarantee, and any plan built on it is fiction.
Price it off what the market pays. Farmgate averaged ₱176/kg nationally in Q1 2026 and industry quotes ran ₱180-₱190/kg as of May 2026 (SINAG). At ₱185/kg this farmer clears ₱58/kg, about ₱5,500 per head. That is a real margin, but it survives only because the cost stayed at ₱12,040. There is no family-labor line in that table, and no interest. The industry's own cost of production, which carries both, is around ₱180/kg.
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 (about 57% of total). PIDS puts feed at roughly 57% of hog operating cost. You will see "60-70%" quoted everywhere, including by me in older posts; that figure comes from a feed-tariff advocacy statement covering poultry and swine together, and 70% is an upper bound, not a hog benchmark. Either way it 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, and the farmgate spread between the best and worst region was more than ₱55/kg in March 2026.
| Region | Typical Feed Cost/kg | Typical Weaner Price | Est. Breakeven/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Visayas (Cebu) | ₱33-36/kg | ₱3,000-₱3,500 | ₱120-₱140 |
| Davao Region | ₱31-34/kg | ₱2,800-₱3,200 | ₱115-₱135 |
| Western Visayas (Iloilo) | ₱33-35/kg | ₱2,800-₱3,300 | ₱118-₱138 |
| Central Luzon (Tarlac, Bulacan) | ₱32-35/kg | ₱3,200-₱4,500 | ₱125-₱150 |
| SOCCSKSARGEN | ₱30-33/kg | ₱2,500-₱3,000 | ₱110-₱130 |
The selling side is where most people, including me, have been carrying an out-of-date map. The old rule was that Luzon commands a premium, Visayas runs ₱15-25 below it, and Mindanao sits below that. PSA's March 2026 regional farmgate says otherwise. The top prices were Cordillera at ₱208.88/kg and Eastern Visayas at ₱206.70/kg. Central Luzon, the region everyone assumes pays the most, was mid-pack at ₱178.41. Negros was ₱163.19 and SOCCSKSARGEN was the cheapest place in the country to sell a hog at ₱152.63.
Read that against a ₱180/kg national cost of production and the picture is blunt: a SOCCSKSARGEN raiser with commercial-level costs is selling ₱27/kg below what the pig cost to make. Low input costs in Mindanao do not fully cover for that. Check the PSA regional series for your own area before you assume your local price floor.
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 actually paid (Q1 2026, PSA) | ₱176 avg (₱173-₱179 by month) | ₱176 avg (₱173-₱179 by month) |
| Profit per head at ₱185/kg (May 2026) | ₱2,700 - ₱8,900 | -₱1,600 - ₱5,700 |
So: profitable at the lean end, underwater at the expensive end. That negative number in the semi-commercial column is not a typo. A ₱19,200-per-head operation selling a 95 kg pig at ₱185/kg books a ₱1,600 loss on every animal, and that is with prices at their best level of the year so far.
The reason is simple arithmetic that the DA's press releases keep dodging. Cost of production is about ₱180/kg (SINAG and NatFed arrive there separately). Farmgate is ₱180-₱190. The industry average is selling at cost. The ₱210/kg floor set in November 2025 was supposed to fix this and has never once been reached, in any month, in any region. Meanwhile the national herd is at 8.70M heads (31 March 2026), the smallest first quarter since 1994 and roughly 31% below the 12.70M pre-ASF peak, and prices still have not moved, because imports fill every gap the herd leaves.
Being profitable in 2026 is not about waiting for the price to come to you. It is about getting your breakeven under ₱150/kg, because ₱185/kg is what you are going to be offered.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₱153 (SOCCSKSARGEN, Mar 2026) | ₱15,300 | ₱3,300 | ₱33,000 |
| ₱176 (national avg, Q1 2026) | ₱17,600 | ₱5,600 | ₱56,000 |
| ₱185 (trade level, May 2026) | ₱18,500 | ₱6,500 | ₱65,000 |
| ₱195 (top of the eFeedLink quotes) | ₱19,500 | ₱7,500 | ₱75,000 |
| ₱210 (DA floor, never yet paid) | ₱21,000 | ₱9,000 | ₱90,000 |
That last row is in the table so you can see what the DA is promising, not so you can plan around it. Nobody has been paid ₱210. Budget on the ₱176-₱185 rows.
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 OpenSTAT (monthly and regional liveweight farmgate prices through March 2026; national swine inventory, 31 March 2026); SINAG and NatFed statements on cost of production and prevailing trade prices (May 2026); 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 (feed share of operating cost). Price figures verified 12 July 2026.
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.
Ayaw pagsalig sa ₱210/kg nga floor price sa DA. Sukad gi-anunsyo niadtong Nobyembre 2025, wala pa gyud kini naabot bisan sa usa ka bulan o usa ka rehiyon. Ang tinuod nga presyo: ₱176/kg ang national average sa Q1 2026 (PSA), ug ₱180 hangtod ₱190/kg ang trade level sukad Mayo 2026.
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 ₱163/kg sama sa Negros niadtong Marso 2026, ₱5/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
