Tulip Disappoints with a One-Penny Drop
UK - Although the DAPP took a fairly significant downward step this week dropping by 1.49p to stand at 140.82p and Tulip disappointed the market by dropping its shout price by one penny to 135p, with the exception of Gill, which followed suit, all the other shout price abattoirs held their prices at stand-on levels, and bearing in mind a relatively stable spot market, some producers are questioning the need for Tulip to drop their price at all, writes Peter Crichton.
13 February 2012
3 minute read
The shout price league table now stands as follows:
1. — Woodhead 138p.
2. — Gill 137p.
Last — Tulip, Vion, Cranswick 135p.
Cranswick has in fact held its price at 135p now for four weeks which might indicate some stability returning to the market and it is a pity to see that Tulip which had previously been playing from a mid-field position is now equal bottom of the league table at 135p.
Spot buyers turned out to be slightly keener on pigs than earlier anticipated and although there was no real sign of an upward swing in prices, most quotes tended to be between 130p–134p according to spec and on a more positive note very few reports of pigs being rolled.
Despite all the perspiring of Greek bank managers the value of the euro has ended the week slightly firmer at 83.70p compared with 83.06p a week ago.
The cull sow market still provides a ready barometer of the fortune (or otherwise) of the European pigmeat industry and this week prices were up anywhere between 2p–4p with a fairly wide range of quotes in the 116p–120p range according to spec.
Rising feed prices are however continuing to put a damper on any further recovery in weaner prices which saw the latest AHDB 30kg ex-farm average remain almost unchanged at £44.54/head, although Freedom Food weaners continue to earn useful premiums but probably need to, bearing in mind how much expensive straw they use.
