EU pig prices: Markets under pressure – quotations going clearly down

With the European pigs-mature-for-slaughter market under strong pressure, many quotations are decreasing
calendar icon 12 September 2018
clock icon 3 minute read

On the one hand, the price pressure is being generated from the quantities of live pigs on offer which have gone up again recently. However, the quotation decreased considerably for pigs for slaughter in the Netherlands in calendar week 35, followed by many other EU member countries in calendar week 36.

The decisive factor for this was German slaughter companies adopting a defensive attitude by drastically reducing slaughter numbers. This way, the pressure was increased on the live-animals’ market, causing a considerable markdown of the German leading quotation by as much as 7 cents. The corrected quotations went down by a similar value in the Netherlands, in Belgium, and in Austria. Market leader Spain also recorded a moderate corrected 2 cents’ price decrease.

The market situation is reported to remain steady in Denmark. There, the corrected quotation maintained the price level so far achieved. Yet, the Danish quotation (1.31 euros per kg) continues to bear the red light in the European price structure of the five EU member countries most important in pig keeping. The French pig feeders were able to even record a slight increase.

(Source: ISN - Interessengemeinschaft der Schweinehalter Deutschlands)
1) corrected quotation: The official Quotations of the different countries are corrected, so that each quotation has the same base (conditions).
2) These quotations are based on the correction formulas applied since 01.08.2010.
base: 57 % lean-meat-percentage; farm-gate-price; 79 % killing-out-percentage, without value-added-tax

Trend for the German market

After last week’s clear price decrease, the local market participants feel quite unsettled. Therefore, the pressure on the supply side continues to be noticeable at the beginning of the week. Marketing is rather tough altogether. The further price development tends to be quite weak.

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Emily Houghton

Editor, The Pig Site

Emily Houghton is a Zoology graduate from Cardiff University and was the editor of The Pig Site from October 2017 to May 2020. Emily has worked in livestock husbandry, and has written, conducted and assisted with research projects regarding the synthesis of welfare and productivity of free-range food species.

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