This led to Cranswick and Vion playing catch-up and putting their prices up by 2p and Woodhead and Gill also added a penny, so the league table now reads as follows:

1. 144p Woodhead.
2. 143p Gill.
3. 141p Tulip, Cranswick, Vion.

Spot buyers on the other hand tended to be operating at stand-on levels due to the upcoming Easter weekend which means that volumes will be down but only temporarily and after the holiday period most pundits are suggesting we will see further rises across the board.

Spot bacon was generally traded in the 144p–147p range with premiums of 4p–6p available for lighter weights, but retail demand is still reported to be on the slow side.

After several months of rising prices cull sow bids have levelled out although they are still at very encouraging levels as far as sellers are concerned with cull sow loads capable of averaging 3200 per head or more in places.

Cull prices remain influenced by the euro which traded on Friday at 83.3p which is a shade easier than its value a week ago and once again the upcoming Easter holiday has put something of a brake on processing capacity both over here and on the European mainland.

As a result cull sow quotes on a delivered basis remained generally in the 126p–130p range according to specification but still provide producers with the opportunity to restock worn-out herds with gilts as well as leaving some change.

Demand for weaners remains virtually static with the latest Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 30kg ex-farm weaner average quoted at 345.95/head and further recent rises in grain prices have put something of a cap on weaner prices, but Freedom Food standard is still trading at a premium of 32- 34 per head. Finishers will probably need this to cover rising straw costs in the months ahead especially if there is no change in the current drought conditions being experienced in much of the country.

On the subject of arable crops, futures prices for feed wheat are still tending to be bullish with July wheat quoted on the LIFFE market at 3172/tonne, but a slightly easier 3156/tonne towards the end of the year. Ex-farm feed wheat quotes peaked earlier this week to 3168/tonne which is certainly causing some producers to have sleepless nights every time the feed bill comes in.