Weekly pig prices and slaughter data for Great Britain.
The EU-spec SPP has fallen for the ninth consecutive week since the start of the year. However, the 0.28p drop, taking the price index to 186.28p/kg during the week ended February 28, was the smallest by a distance since early January.
It represents relative stability, after the SPP lost nearly 4p over the first three weeks of February. It is now exactly 17p below the same week last year and at its lowest point since June 2022.
The picture from Europe has started to improve markedly in recent weeks. The latest Tribune EU market round-up on Monday showed prices in Germany, including sows, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium all recording significant increases for the second week in a row.
Even before this latest boost, the EU reference price (Grade S) moved up by 2.6p to 129.8p/kg during the week ended February 22, closing the gap to the equivalent UK reference price to 62.5p, compared with 70p in January, but still around three times typical levels.
AHDB’s estimated GB clean pig slaughterings for the week ended February 28, at 165,505 head, were 3,700 down on the previous week and 1,000 below year-earlier levels.
Carcase weights, which have been at elevated levels for the whole of this year, continue to drop back slowly. Average weights in the SPP sample were 0.06g lower to stand at 95.18kg, still 4kg above year-earlier levels and not far off the record level recorded in January 2022.
London feed wheat futures were quoted by AHDB on March 4 at £165/t for March and £168/t for May, similar to last week.