Another 3c/kg pig price cut this week
That’s the top price at pork slaughter plants also, and the top Northern Ireland price is equivalent to 144c.
Sow prices stay at 90-100c/kg deadweight, although they are falling in other EU member states, particularly in the continental countries — with the Danish government now reported to be reining in their environmental and welfare ambitions, to help pig farmers survive.
The mainland EU pig farm crisis may bring aids to private storage closer.
Irish prices started the year 6% ahead of the EU average — but IFA makes the point they averaged only 1% ahead for all of 2014.
Last week, the Irish Association of Pigmeat Processors said the market remains very challenging, exacerbated by the Russian import ban.
Unfortunately, market analysts say that even if Russia reopens its doors later this year to the low-value EU pigmeat it was taking, it probably wouldn’t solve the pig price crisis in mainland Europe, because of the recent collapse of the rouble.
