Weekly pig prices and slaughter data for Great Britain.
The EU-spec SPP recorded its biggest weekly gain, 1.73p, since March 2023 to stand at 179.7p/kg during the week ended July 18.
After recent ups and downs, the price index has gained nearly 2p since the end of June. It remains nearly 28p below where it stood a year ago, on the back of an imbalance of supply and demand, compounded by low EU prices.
The latest Tribune roundup of EU prices showed the markets steadied after heavy losses across the board the previous week, with relatively modest falls in Denmark and Spain.
The previous week’s losses have now been factored into the EU reference price, which fell back by more than 3p during the week ended July 12 stand at 136.66p/kg, meaning the gap to the equivalent UK price grew to 47p, having dropped back below the 40p-mark in the early spring.
The latest Defra update shows June UK clean pig slaughterings were up 4.9% year-on-year, at 889,000 head, with pigmeat production, at 83,000 tonnes, 5.2% higher than in June 2025.
AHDB’s previously published GB slaughter figures for the past weeks have been revised upwards, suggesting throughputs since late June have been well above year-earlier levels.
Estimated GB clean pig slaughterings, at 163,214 head during the week ended July 18, were 10,000 head head above the 2025 figure.
Average carcase weights fell back again, losing nearly 1kg to stand at at 89.62kg in the the SPP sample, dipping 90kg for the first time since August 2025. Whe backlog now under control, carcase weights are now nearly 6kg below the recent April peak and in line with year-earlier levels.
The extreme hot weather of recent weeks will have impacted productivity in the short-term and longer-term, with some heavy losses reported on farms during first heatwave, alongside what are likely to be slower growth rates.
London feed wheat futures have risen markedly, quoted by AHDB on July 22 at £207/t for November, £12 up on last week, and £209/t for January, £17 up on last week.