The German sow price had recovered to €1.05 per kg in mid-June, the same price as at the start of the year, although 4 cents less than the highest price so far in 2015.

By the first week of July, however, the sow price had fallen to €0.97 per kg but has since remained stable throughout the month. This follows a similar pattern to the EU finished pig market, where prices have also reached a plateau, after a sharp fall in the last two weeks of June.

In sterling terms, the German price has come down from 82p at the beginning of the year to 68 pence in the latest week, as the euro has weakened against the pound.

The German price normally influences the GB one, although the GB price is typically lower, and reports suggest a similar fall in domestic prices, to their lowest level for many years.

Prices in Netherlands have followed the German trend quite closely, with the latest change in week ended 28 June down from 75c to 72c, then staying at the latter price for the whole of July.

In Denmark, the trend has also been similar, down from 70c to 64c for three weeks to the week ended 12 July but it has recovered in the last two weeks to 67c. Despite a slight drop in April, French sow prices have been rising since the beginning of the year, going against the trends of the other countries.

At the beginning of the year it stood at 78c and has levelled out in July at the highest price so far this year, at 98c, which means that it is, unusually, above the German price. This reflects the stronger French pig market, with prices having been on an upward trend for most of this year.