Weekly pig prices and slaughter data for Great Britain.
The EU-spec SPP has moved back up, gaining 0.34p to stand at 180.6p/kg during the week ended October 3, bouncing after the previous week’s decline of 0.59p.
The SPP has been remarkably stable for the past six weeks, remaining within a narrow band of 180.15p to 180.84p/kg. It is nearly 3p up on the recent July low, but remains 25p below where it stood a year ago, on the back of an imbalance of supply and demand, compounded by low EU prices.
The SPP sample stood at 49,500 pigs with all weight categories, except the 80-90kg range, gaining in price, led by a 3.02p increase in the heaviest category, above 105kg (5,670 pigs).
The SPP masks huge variation, however, when it comes to current pig prices, with some producers receiving. as little as 130p/kg and below for contracted and uncontracted pigs.
The latest Tribune roundup showed, further big reductions in finished pig prices in France and Spain, alongside another big reduction in the German sow price, all compounded by unhelpful exchage rate movements.
The EU reference price (S-grade) lost a further 3p to stand at 143.23p/kg during the week ended September 27. This increased the gap to the equivalent UK reference price to nearly 43p, compared with 37p just two weeks earlier.
AHDB’s estimated GB clean pig slaughterings had returned to trending well above year-earlier levels. But, at 166,824 head, the estimated figure for week ended October 4 was 4,000 down on last week, and 12,500 head below the year-earlier figure, which was something of an outlier.
Average carcase weights continue to grow, gaining a further 0.3kg to stand at 93.44kg in the SPP sample, an increase of 3.6kg since early August, but still more than 2kg below the April peak. Carcase weights are now nearly 2kg above year-earlier levels.
London feed wheat futures were quoted by AHDB on Ocober 7 at £208/t for November, £4 up on last week, and £211/t for January, £6 up on last week.