Pig prices at stand on

By FWi staff

PIG prices have remained very much at “stand on” levels for next week.

Most spot baconers are trading in the 95-102p/kg range according to specification with lighter pigs up to 112p/kg for porkers, and most cutters in the 104-108p/kg bracket.

Cull sows are still languishing in the 25-30p/kg region, although there are reports of a better uptake for manufacturing-grade sow meat on the home market now that prices are on the floor.

Weaner trading remains very much restricted by foot-and-mouth licence restrictions but in clean areas there are reports of weaners changing hands at between 18-20 per head plus 50p/kg.

This values the average 30kg pig at 33 and 7kg pigs at about 21.50.

Also on the marketing front, there have been calls from hard-pressed producers for the NPA to set up a national pig contract which could include a national pig base price.

This would include a basic bacon pig deadweight specification which would apply to all abattoirs and the base price would be a pre-published “reserve price” below which no pigs would be traded.

The current system includes a whole range of different abattoir weight and grade specifications.

A national system would be designed to provide a minimum framework to which abattoirs could add premiums and other incentive payments as required.

Although the meat trade is notoriously volatile, producers claim that a national system of this nature would add stability to the market and benefit all concerned in the long-term.

• Peter Crichton is a Suffolk-based pig farmer offering independent valuation and consultancy services to the UK pig industry
  

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