Pig prices level out across Europe

By FWi staff

AFTER several weeks of improvement, prices have levelled out throughout many of the major EU pig production countries including the UK.

The latest UK AESA is quoted at 100.13p, up by just 0.67p on the week.

Spot traders are trying to pull prices back by 2-4p/kg but, because of the shortage of pigs in the UK, most have been forced to “stand on” or risk losing out to contract buyers whose prices are more closely tied to the AESA.

Weaner quotes have also levelled off and the Farmers Weekly average for this week is stuck at the 33.64 mark, with PDNS-affected pigs still at a discount.

Cull sow prices – which up to now have remained in the 68-72p/kg deadweight range – are forecast to slip by 2-4p/kg next week due to an easing in demand for manufacturing meat in Europe.

On the currency front, the Euro is quoted at 63p, which is almost identical to its value a year ago.

Any further improvement in the Euro will lift the cost of imports and help the domestic pig trade to compete with pork which is hitting these shores in a rising tide.

According to the MLC pork imports for the last quarter exceeded exports for the first time in over 36 months.

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