Irish market competition for pigs is “heating up” according to the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), with trade reports suggesting that most processors are paying a little bit extra to guarantee supplies.
While market trends in Ireland are encouraging, however, IFA pigs committee chairman, Pat O’Flaherty, remains critical of the fact that not all factories are “passing increased values back to producers”.
“The Southern factories, Dawn and Stauntons, were once again first to announce a price increase last Friday with Rosderra quickly following with an increase to their suppliers,” he said, before adding that another processor had “refused to pass back any price increase much to the frustration of their suppliers”.
“Across Europe, however, prices have moved positively with Germany increasing and the UK price also pushing ahead, as supplies remained tight and hopes continued of barbeque weather arriving.”
Pig prices in Ireland consequently ended May at 103% of the EU average.