Most of the market participants seem mainly happy with the results of the past business transactions.

Quite contrary to what happened over previous years, no backlog supply is reported on with regard to 2015.

In Germany, the farmers had already generously selected the pigs for sale before Christmas. At the same time, the slaughter companies run extra shifts on the few days of slaughter in order to cover the orders from wholesale and retail trade.

To that effect, the quotations were left on the level achieved most recently.

The situation is alike in the Netherlands as well as in Belgium, France, Austria, Denmark and Spain. The markets are reported on being widely cleared. As to prices, no changes have been observed. However, the cards will be reshuffled over the next few days.

Trend for the German market:

Traditionally, the first weeks of the year are taken advantage of by the food retailers for extensive sales campaigns providing bargain offers.

Private storage might also result in additional market relief. At the same time, the quantities of pigs for slaughter on offer are perceptibly lower than at the beginning of the previous year, according to what livestock marketers state. As a result, the prices are expected to remain steady at least.