The EU-spec standard pig price has inched up against during the week ended August 17, gaining 0.06p to reach 209.84p/kg, following the previous week’s 0.24p increase.
The standard pig price (SPP) has lost 2.5p since the start of June and is currently 15.8p/kg below the same week last year the price index hit its all-time peak of 225.65p/kg, the National Pig Association (NPA) said.
The all pig price (APP), which includes premium pigs, gained 1.33p to reach 211.52p/kg during the week ended August 10, more than offsetting the previous week’s loss of 0.79p.
This increased the gap above the SPP to 1.74p for the week.
The latest European reference price (grade S) for the week ended August 11 was up slightly to 187.76p/kg, as a 3 euro-cents drop in Germany was offset by a similar increase in Spain.
The gap to the equivalent UK reference price remained at 24p.
Slaughterings
Estimated GB slaughterings for the week ended August 17 increased by just over 4,000 on the previous week to 163,037, which was 7,000 above the same week last year and virtually the same as the 2022 figure for the week.
However, these estimates remain subject to revision amid ongoing uncertainty over Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) UK figures, the NPA said.
“Average carcase weights continue to fall. After dropping below the 90kg mark for the first time this year the previous week, average weights dipped by a further 0.23kg to 89.66kg in the SPP sample during the week ended August 18,” the NPA said.
“This compared with 90.8kg in mid-July, and was 0.5kg above the same week in 2023.”
London feed wheat futures for November were quoted by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) on August 21 at £184/t, £6 down on the week.
