Weekly pig prices and slaughter data for Great Britain.
The EU-spec SPP has seen its biggest drop since the first week, losing 1.77p to stand at 201.89p/kg, during the week ended November 1.
The price index has declined for nine out of the past 10 weeks, losing more than 6p in the process. It is now at its lowest point since January 2023 and 4.7p below where it stood a year ago.
The domestic pig price has been falling against the backdrop of plummeting EU prices. This week’s Tribune EU price round-up showed further falls in Spain and France, but general stability elsewhere, although currency movements, driven by as ‘pre-Budget jitters’, increased the relative price of imports and providing a much-needed boost for our cull sow prices.
However, the headline gap between UK and European prices continues to widen, after a further 1.7p fall the EU reference price (Grade S) to 155.6p/kg during the week ended October 26, leaving it nearly 51p behind the equivalent UK price.
AHDB’s latest estimated GB slaughterings for the week ended November 1 were down by 800 head on the week to 155,797 head, which was 10,500 head down on 2024 and 3,000 head down the same week in 2023, as factory issues continue to hamper throughputs. As always, these estimates are potentially subject to further revision.
Average carcase weights eased fractionally to 93.1kg in the SPP sample, 1.2kg above year-earlier levels.
London feed wheat futures were quoted by AHDB on November 5 at £165/t for November, £4 up on last week, and £172/t for January, £3 up on last week.