Weekly pig prices and slaughter data for Great Britain.
The EU-spec SPP fell for the tenth week running during the week ended November 16, losing a further 0.3p to stand at 206.23p/kg.
The SPP remains at its lowest level since February 2023, having lost nearly 4p since late-August. It is currently more than 11p below the same week last year.
The more volatile APP, which includes premium pigs, lost 0.67p during the week ended November 9 to stand at 208.66p/kg, rebounding after gaining 1.2p the previous week. The gap to the SPP decreased to 2.1p for the week.
The UK pig price continues to hold up remarkably well, as falling EU prices. The EU reference price stabilised at 165.75p/kg during the week ended November 10 and, with the equivalent UK price dropping back, the gap between the two closed slightly to just over 42p, still an historically huge difference that continues to put significant import pressure on the UK market.
Meanwhile, estimated GB slaughterings dropped back by 5,500 during the week ended November 16. After trending above year-earlier levels in recent weeks, this was 8,000 down on the same week last year, and nearly 7,000 down on 2022 throughputs.
As is often the case after Defra’s monthly UK slaughter figures have been published, AHDB has revised recent estimates. The previously-published weekly figures for October and early-November have been revised downwards by approximately 5,000 to 7,000 head/week.
Increasing carcase weights have been further supporting pigmeat production, and the average remained at around 91.4kg in the SPP sample during the week ended November 16. This was 0.6kg above the same week in 2023.
London feed wheat futures were quoted by AHDB on November 20 at £179.50/t for November, £5.50 up on last week, and £184/t for January, £2.50 above on last week.
To see the weekly price graphs, click here.