As in Germany, no change in quotations was reported from the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Spain and Denmark. Other countries say their markets are well balanced.

After last Monday’s auction in France, which resulted in a 2 cents’ lower average producer price, the price went slightly up again on Thursday. Altogether, there has been a price drop of 1 cent.

At present, the necessary stimulus is still missing for price increases throughout Europe. In northern and central Europe in particular, the unsettled weather conditions are dimming the consumers’ mood.

The increasing economic crisis, accompanied by high unemployment, has an adverse effect on demand for meat in southern Europe.

Trend for the German market: Over the past few days, it has appeared in outlines that the quantities of pigs ready for slaughter that are on offer are falling again. Marketers are currently experiencing problems in meeting the slaughter companies’ demand.

Because of this, a reverse trend towards increasing prices appears to have been triggered off. The coming weeks, including the long weekends around Ascension Day and Pentecost, traditionally are the time of the best demand for pork. The good weather forecasts are giving hope for additional good turnover. Looking at things today, a price increase is possible next week.

Explanation
¹corrected quotation: The official Quotations of the different countries are corrected, so that each quotation has the same base (conditions).
base: 56 per cent lean meat; farm-gate-price; 79 per cent killing out percentage, without value-added-tax (VAT)