No change this week in the Irish pig price and quotes remain in the range from €1.56c/kg-1.58c/kg. While pig farmers were still relatively pleased following the previous weeks 4c/kg price increase, they will be ecstatic when they see what’s happening to the European pig price in recent days.
Tightening numbers in the EU and insatiable demand for pigmeat across the globe. China continues to drive this demand for pork and is expected to remain the key driver for the coming months. Germany has witnessed a price surge in recent week, coming from a price of €1.19c/kg 6 weeks ago to rise another 10c/kg again last week and it is universally predicted to increase by a similar amount this week, and leave a German pig price at or near €1.60c/kg. Talk of an overhang of live pigs on farms in Germany, Belgium, and Denmark is now a past memory. Insiders in the trade say that there is a shortage of pig numbers to meet the strong EU home market demand and export opportunities.
While the pig kill numbers in ROI remain steady at circa 72,000 per week, demand from all factories is very strong. Irish pig farmers can confidently look forward to imminent price increases to follow the market trend.
Export Plants
Top prices on a flat rate basis.
</= €1.56/kg-€1.58c/kg in Rosderra and Kepak
</=€1.58/kg – €1.60/kg in Karro (Cookstown),
</= €1.58/kg – €1.60/kg in Dawn Pork & Bacon and
</=€1.56/kg -€ 1.56/kg in Staunton’s
Sows
€0.87-1.00c/kg
Weekly Slaughtering’s Week-ending 14/3/21
Pigs: 72,948
Sows: 1,846
EU-27 Pigmeat Reference Price Wk Commencing 7/3/21
Irish price: €1.51kg
EU–27 average price: €1.42kg
(Grade E pigs – 55% to 60% lean meat excluding VAT but including transport and bonuses).
