Weekly pig prices and slaughter data for Great Britain.
After the relief of last week’s 1.26p increase, the biggest in nearly three years, the EU-spec SPP has reverted to the downward trend, losing 1.13p to stand at 178.47p/kg during the week ended May 23.
The price index has lost nearly 19p since the start of the year and 29p since the recent August 2025 high on the back of an imbalance of supply and demand, compounded by low EU prices. It is nearly 28p below where it stood a year ago.
The latest Tribune roundup showed European prices stood on across the board for the second week, following some big reductions earlier in the month.
The grade S EU reference price lost another 1.7p to stand at 143.11p/kg during the week ended May 17, meaning it has lost 5p in a month since its spring recovery. With the equivalent UK price coming down more slowly, the gap between has grown to 41.5p, compared with the peak of around 70p seen in February.
There are signs the backlog is easing. Continuing the trend of the first quarter, Defra figures showed April UK clean pig slaughterings were up 3.3% on April 2025, with pigmeat production 7.5% up year on year on the back of significantly higher carcase weights.
There are clear signs that the trend is continuing into May. AHDB’s estimated GB clean pig slaughterings stood at 170,712 head during the week ended May 23, slightly down on the previous week but nearly 13,000 head above year-earlier levels.
In a further clear sign that the backlog is easing, average carcase weights have dropped for the sixth consecutive week, losing 0.47kg to stand at 92.68kg, nearly 3kg below the recent April peak and now just ovewr 2g above year-earlier levels.
London feed wheat futures were quoted by AHDB on May 27 at £188/t for July, slightly down on last week, and £188/t for November.