While the Government’s announcement last week regarding visas for butchers and private aid to storage was very welcome, it does not detract form the incredibly difficult trading the trading.
Number allocations were woefully short again last week and the backlog continues to grow, according to Thames Valley Cambac.
“Pig weights are getting heavier by the day and most farms are into contingency planning,” TVC said in its latest market update. Prices were similar, helped by the bounce back in this week’s SPP whose sample was not sullied by any cheap, minimally butchered pigs.”
The fresh meat market continued to struggle against cheap imports and prices eased as a result. Cull sows stood on, but at a very low rate, enabling our exporters to get a foothold in a ‘dire marketplace’. European markets generally stood on with the exception of Spain that fell another 4 eurocents.
Prices in sterling were compromised by a weaker Euro that ended the week down 0.53p at 84.36p.
Weaner and store movements continue to be heavily constrained by the backlog in the slaughter market. Many yards are still full and now out of sequence with refill plans. There were no prices issued by AHDB.
European Prices (p/kg.dwt) w/c 17/10/21 Movement on last week
Tribune Spot bacon 148.02 – 1.20
SPP 151.01 + 2.19
European Av. 105.97 – 1.08
Belgium 82.17 – 0.51
Denmark 95.25 – 0.59
France 123.94 – 0.68
Germany 101.24 – 0.63
Ireland 126.55 – 0.79
Holland 97.36 – 0.60
Spain 115.08 – 4.02
(Ref Weekly Tribune)