UK pig producers sliding into the red

IFA Pigs Committee chairman Pat O’Flaherty has reported some processors cutting deals with pig farmers to ensure a steady supply of pigs in the approach to the peak summer demand period, and processors competing for pig supplies.

The official pig price quotes this week, according to IFA, show the top pig price at export plants (flat rate) inching ahead at 155 cent/kg, 152 cent at pork slaughter plants, and 152c on offer in Northern Ireland. Quoted sow prices stay at 60-70c/kg deadweight.

Irish prices have been running about 4% ahead of the EU average — but well behind prices in the UK (where the latest estimates of total cost of production showed pig farmers sliding into the red in the first quarter of the year, as prices continued downwards, shipping average losses of about €7 a pig).

The factory pig throughput in Republic of Ireland export plants for the week ending May 16 was 61,553 head, 11,645 head more than the previous bank holiday week, and 5,832 more than the corresponding short week in 2014.