DAPP rise fails to encourage main pig buyers

Although the GB Euro Deadweight Adjusted Pig Price rose again this week to 152.34p/kg, weekly prices announced by processors Tulip, Cranswick, Vion and Woodheads all remained at stand on levels between 151p and 155p/kg.

Poor retail demand for pigmeat meant that one of the major abattoirs cut its throughput for next week, putting extra pigs on to a lacklustre spot market where prices tended to ease by 2-3p/kg. Later in the day some spot quotes recovered slightly with most spot bacon traded in the 154-156p/kg range with modest premiums in areas where numbers were slightly shorter.

Cull sow prices generally held at similar levels, helped by the relative strength of the euro which closed on Friday worth 88.73p and export abattoir quotes generally ranged between 97-100p/kg on a delivered basis.

The weaner market remained oversupplied and as a result sellers were still finding it difficult to find homes for 7kg and 30kg weaners.

The latest AHDB 30kg ex-farm weaner average stands at £45.77 a head, but has yet to feel the benefit of falling feed prices with ex farm feed wheat quoted at £169/t compared with £200/t at the end of April.