Pig prices ease after 4-day week

PIGMEAT PRICE rises were kept in check this week (w/c Sept 5) by a combination of slightly better availability, cheaper Belgium imports and the bank holiday “short” week.

The Deadweight Adjusted Pig Price also eased slightly to 105.03p and some contract base prices were re-calculated at marginally lower levels as a result.

Most spot bacon quotes were in the 106–108p/kg range with cutters worth a modest 3–5p/kg above this.

Harvest worries have also caused some pig finishers to take their eye off the ball.

Together with better growth rates, this has led to slightly more pigs being available for the week ahead, with very few abattoirs short of throughput.

Recent falls in EU mainland pig prices are also affecting the domestic market.

Average EU mainland producer prices equivalent to 97.5p/kg deadweight are down by 1.5% on the previous week due to better pig availability.

Cull sow prices are also forecast to ease back during September from recent quotes as high as 80p/kg.

The relative stability of the euro, which traded on Mon at 67.8p, should help to maintain cull export values and keep up the cost of pigmeat imports.

Weaner availability has also improved, though the Meat and Livestock Commission 30kg ex-farm average of £34.84/head remains almost unchanged.