EU pig prices: small quantities on offer are pushing up the prices

The European pigs-mature-for-slaughter market appears to be picking up as many quotations increase with the cooler weather
calendar icon 14 August 2018
clock icon 3 minute read

Even with the temperatures returning to an ambient level, the consequences of the heat wave are still noticeable on the pigs-mature-for-slaughter market. From EU market participants it is heard that the quantities of pigs for slaughter on offer remain quite manageable at present, hardly matching the slaughter companies’ demand. Because of this and because of starting from a level comparably low for this time of the year, the prices are starting to go up.

On Wednesday, Germany presented a considerable price increase with its 8 cents’ plus. The quotations also went up vigorously in the Netherlands, Belgium, and in Austria. The Danish quotation, mostly being less volatile, went up by a moderate 3 cents.

Owing to these remarkable increases of quotations, the latest price reductions were, in part, corrected. About three and four weeks ago, the quotation in Germany had been exerted severe pressure on by the market-leading slaughter companies announcing discounted prices and price claims, even with the quantities of live animals on offer being scarce.

Unchanged quotations are being reported on from Spain and France, while the British report a slightly weaker quotation.

With the quotations developing quite differently everywhere, changes are currently observed in the European price structure. Germany is overtaking France, thus getting to rank second in the European price structure of the five EU member countries most important in pig keeping. Spain continues to lead the list.

(Source: ISN - Interessengemeinschaft der Schweinehalter Deutschlands)
1) corrected quotation: The official Quotations of the different countries are corrected, so that each quotation has the same base (conditions).
2) These quotations are based on the correction formulas applied since 01.08.2010.
base: 57 % lean-meat-percentage; farm-gate-price; 79 % killing-out-percentage, without value-added-tax

Trend for the German market:

At the beginning of the week, demand continues to be unbroken yet inadequate on the local pigs-mature-for-slaughter market. Pigs for slaughter remain being sought for. So, the price development is expected to remain friendly from today’s point of view.

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Emily Houghton

Editor, The Pig Site

Emily Houghton is a Zoology graduate from Cardiff University and was the editor of The Pig Site from October 2017 to May 2020. Emily has worked in livestock husbandry, and has written, conducted and assisted with research projects regarding the synthesis of welfare and productivity of free-range food species.

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