The cold weather in Europe has had a negative effect on the Danish pig meat market, according to BPEX's latest Export Bulletin. In the first quarter of 2012, the number of sows fell by about 1.3 per cent. Gilt numbers went down by about 3.5 per cent as did the number of young sows. Slaughter pigs decreased by more than 5 per cent.

In France, a 20 per cent added value to taxes is expected to benefit all pig meat and charcuterie products selected for the "Origine Montagne" new brand launched in Lyon. Around 800 producers will supply to 25 abattoirs and 100 processors approved by the association "Porc Montagne".

Dutch-based company Vion is impacted by the lengthening of payment terms by retailers not only in the Netherlands, but in Europe as a whole. Meanwhile, pig genetics companies have reported a 7.5 per cent increase in sales of PIC Piétrain while TOPIGS sale of semen dropped by 11.9 per cent.

In the Ukraine, in the first quarter of 2012, pig breeding farms produced 4.2 per cent more pork compared to the same period last year. The weight of slaughtered pigs during the first four months of 2012 decreased 6.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2011, and amounts to 130,900 tonnes of pork in live weight.

According to Matteo Bernardelli of ANAS, Italian production costs are currently the highest compared to its European counterparts. As a result, production costs need to come down. Pig health is generally poor and, according to data from the European Commission the cost of feed paid by producers at € 36.27 /100 kg is also the highest in the EU.

In the US, consumer confidence has risen considerably - climbing to its highest level in four years. The index beat expectations, as a survey of 68 economists indicated the index would drop to 76 based on an average of their projections. The index now has advanced for the ninth straight month, the longest stretch of consecutive gains since the monthly survey began in 1978.

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