Weekly pig prices and slaughter data for Great Britain.
The EU-spec SPP has stabilised, after six successive weekly declines, gaining 0.02p to stand at 201.91p/kg, during the week ended November 8.
The price index has declined for nine out of the past 10 weeks, losing more than 6p in the process, including nearly 5p in the last six weeks. It remains at its lowest point since January 2023 and 4.6p below where it stood a year ago.
EU pigmeat remains significantly cheaper than domestic product, but the gap is at least narrowing, albeit from close to a record level. The Tribune’s EU price round up on Monday showed that, after some recent dramatic declines, the EU picture is again relatively stable, however, with further falls in Spain and France, but no movement elsewhere.
The EU reference price (Grade S) increased very slightly, for the first time since early August, to 155.78p/kg during the week ended November 2, reducing the gap to the equivalent UK price to below 50p, still around double the gap typically seen.
Domestic throughputs have been hampered of late by significant factory issues, causing pigs to be rolled. AHDB’s latest estimated GB slaughterings for the week ended November 8 were 3,000 head up on the week to 158,804 head, but still nearly 15,000 head down on the 2024 figure for the equivalent week and 1,000 head down on 2023. As always, these estimates are potentially subject to further revision.
After rising due to pigs spending extra time on farm, average carcase weights have fallen for the third successive week to 92.8kg in the SPP sample, 1.4kg above year-earlier levels.
London feed wheat futures were quoted by AHDB on November 12 at £164/t for November, £1 down on last week, and £169/t for January, £3 down on last week.