Another blow for pig prices
The latest outbreak of swine fever is likely to influence pig prices over the coming weeks.
Although the GB AESA put on 0.2p to stand at 102.64p/kg deadweight for the week ended 5 August, this index price was calculated before the CSF announcement.
Spot quotes for affected deliveries in East Anglia are expected to be due to the CSF situation and it may be several weeks before normal trading patterns are resumed.
Weaner quotes are also likely to be hit with the Farmers Weekly average 30kg ex-farm price standing at 34.14/head. Eastern region prices will be affected once again by the general disruption caused by the standstill zones imposed in the pig infected areas.
Eastern region abattoirs will also be severely hit by the CSF regulations and some could be forced to close down until normal supplies are resumed.
This will come as a further blow to many of the smaller sized operators who have been finding it difficult to source throughput due to the recent collapse in the size of the UK herd.