Pig Prices Remain Static
Irish pig prices remain unchanged for another week with pig farmers taking between €1.38c/kg and €1.42c/kg. Numbers offered have tightened significantly in recent weeks, and the average carcass weight has also dropped by a significant amount, as a result of the prolonged hot weather.
Despite the weekly kill dropping to 65,675, the sales market has so far failed to see any significant uplift in demand across the EU market. Pig farmers concern about this continues as low pig price has heightened, especially as forecasts predict an increase in pig production for the second half of 2018 in the EU and other key export regions such as the US. Combined with uncertainty of the future feed markets, the Irish pig sector is in for a difficult 6 months. What a change from 12 months ago, when pig price was 30c/kg higher, and feed was stable.
Ireland’s percentage of the EU price has improved and is currently 97% of the EU average price as reported to the EU Commission for the week commencing 02/07/2018.
Factory pig throughput in Republic of Ireland export plants for the week ending July 7th 2018 was 64,913 head which was 449 head less than the previous week and 5330 more than in the corresponding week in 2017.
Export Plants: Top prices on a flat rate basis </= €1.40c/kg in Kepak, Rosderra, and Staunton’s and </= €1.42/ €1.44c/kg in Dawn Pork and Bacon and Cookstown.
Sows: 60c/kg DW.
Weekly Slaughtering’s: Week-ending 07/07/2018 Pigs: 64,913 Sows: 1,961
EU-27 PIGMEAT REFERENCE PRICE WK COMMENCING 02/07/18
Irish price: €1.41kg
EU–27 average price: €1.45kg
(Grade E pigs – 55% to 60% lean meat excluding VAT but including transport and bonuses).
