While there was a small two per cent rise in the number of slaughterings in April compared to 12 months before, in May they fell by six per cent to 644,000 compared to 683,000 in May 2007.

At the same time, the numbers of sows and boars slaughtered has continued to rise, with a 25,000 slaughtered showing a 25 per cent rise in April and with 17,000 slaughtered in May compared to 15,000 the year before, equivalent to an 11 per cent rise.

The average carcase weights for clean pigs remained fairly static at 75.7 kg in May, although they have fallen by almost 1.5 kg since the beginning of the year.

The carcase weights for sows and boars fell by six per cent in May following a one per cent rise in April.

Total pig meat production for the UK, which rose from 57,000 tonnes in March to 71,000 in April, fell back in May to 51,000 tonnes, with a drop of 18,000 in pork production and 2,000 tonnes in bacon and ham production. However, Defra points out that the rise in April was partly because it was a five week month. To date this year the UK has produced 311,000 tonnes of pig meat.

The Defra figures also show that just over 50 per cent of the UK home cured bacon and ham was produced from home killed pigs.

The UK imported a total of 465,000 tonnes of pork last year with all except 4,000 tonnes coming from the EU. The Largest amount of imports came from Denmark, with 194,000 tonnes and Ireland with 37,000 tonnes.

In the first three months of this year, the UK has imported 111,000 tonnes with 50,000 tonnes coming from Denmark and 9,000 tonnes from Ireland.

The UK exported 98,000 tonnes of pork last year and so far this year exports have reached 31,000 tonnes, with 27,000 tonnes going to the EU, largely to Germany and the Netherlands.

The UK imported 278,000 tonnes of bacon and ham last year and in the first three months of this year those imports have reached 73,000 tonnes. Most of the imports of bacon and ham come from Denmark and the Netherlands, although the Netherlands has shown a slight fall in the amount it exported to the UK this year compared to the large amount it shipped in 2007.

Across the EU, the total number of pigs slaughter has risen by three per cent for the period of January to February 2008, a repeat of the three per cent rise that was seen in 2007.

The total number of pigs slaughtered in the January to February period in the EU 27 was 44,466,000 compared to 43,026,000 the year before.

Denmark saw the highest rise in slaughter numbers with an eight per cent increase, followed by Germany with a six per cent increase and the UK and the Netherlands each with a five per cent increase during the first two months of the year.

Poland was the only country to show a drop in slaughter numbers with a six per cent decrease.

The UK reference prices for pigs and pig meat production was €6.67 per 100 kg below the EU average for the prices running to 8 June this year.

Further Reading

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You can view the full report by clicking here.

June 2008