Pig farmers encouraged by market stability
IFA Pigs Committee Chairman Pat O’Flaherty said prices are just a few cents off breakeven for farmers, but he welcomed stabilisation of prices across the EU, and continuing UK price rises. He said there are no EU stocks of surplus pigmeat to hold back prices.
The top price offered at export and pork slaughter plants, and in Northern Ireland, stays at 160c/kg.
Sow prices stay at 95–100c/kg deadweight.
After several weeks of difficulty on the German meat market, sales have increased and prices stabilised for most pork cuts.
Prospects for exports from the EU remain promising, with forecasts of a much larger than expected Chinese 2015-20 meat deficit.
But cheap US pork could limit the competitiveness of EU pig meat on the global marketplace.
