Pig Plants Struggling to Get Supplies in Some Parts
The main processors remain on the same official quotes as the previous week, with the southern plants leading the way on €1.74c/kg.
The picture is not quite as clear cut the further north you head up the country, with no official change in prices but reports from pig suppliers indicate that between 2 and 4c/kg of an increase was paid over the past two weeks.
From a low price of €1.70c/kg, right up to €1.76c/kg is being paid for pigs across the country today. The higher prices and reports of a few cent more, are being paid for spot loads and lighter pigs by some plants.
There is great competition for pigs, especially in the northern part of the country, with plants struggling to fill their kill last week. With low numbers of pigs forecast to be slaughtered across the EU for the next 5 months, pig farmers are hopeful that the current good price will at least be maintained at current levels for the remainder of 2017.
Ireland’s percentage of the EU price has improved and is currently 95% of the EU average price as reported to the EU Commission for the week commencing 03/07/2017.
Factory pig throughput in Republic of Ireland export plants for the week ending July 8th 2017 was 59,538 head which was 3,004 head less than the previous week and 1198 less than in the corresponding week in 2016. Slaughtering’s in ROI export plants is -0.8% behind the same period in 2016.
Export Plants: Top prices on a flat rate basis </= 174cent/kg in Karro, Staunton’s and Dawn, </=172cent/kg in Kepak and Rosderra.
Sows: 95 – 110c/kg DW.
Weekly Slaughterings: Week-ending 08/07/2017 Pigs: 59,538 Sows: 1,864
EU-27 PIGMEAT REFERENCE PRICE WK COMMENCING 03/07/17
Irish price €1.68kg
EU–27 average price €1.77kg
(Grade E pigs – 55% to 60% lean meat excluding VAT but including transport and bonuses).