Prices up 4c/kg to average €1.32

By James Brady

The 4c/kg increase for pigs this week should be used only as a building block to haul Irish prices from the bottom of the EU price league. A similar price increase should be paid again tomorrow. Prices increased again for this week in most EU countries, particularly strong were the German prices, which increased by 5c/kg to average €1.52/kg. The table below gives the relative position of a number of EU countries.

We are currently in a boom time for pig prices across the EU and like those producers it is necessary that Irish producers get their fair share of the spoils. There is no point pushing for a good price when other EU countries are low, so now is the time to make some profit to shake of the extra debts that accumulated in May and put producers in a strong position for the next down turn in world markets, which will definitely come, sooner or later. This good run on high prices may last weeks or months, but it must be taken advantage of now.

Either processors or producers should not underestimate the importance of getting prices up again tomorrow.

The average Irish price is from €1.31 to €1.37/kg in all-Southern plants. The Northern Ireland price range is now from €1.34 to €1.40/kg, on a collected basis. The exact price in Northern Ireland is difficult to determine but in order to get the pigs they have to pay 5-6c/kg over the ROI price. This is the same for factories in the South bring pigs down from NI.

The sow price increased this week in line with pig prices with more producers getting €28 to €30/cwt liveweight the average return.

Comparison with certain EU countries