Comment: Chair of the IFA pigs committee Tom Hogan said there was no official change in pig prices from the main export plants for this week, but the 4c/kg increase given by the two main southern plants the previous week has spurred on all other buyers to increase their prices. Suppliers have reported unofficial increases of between 2c/kg and 4c/kg, leaving the general run of pig prices ranging from €1.72c/kg to €1.74c/kg. It is reported that the Northern Ireland plants are very anxious for stock and prices up to €1.78c/kg have been paid to secure extra stock to travel North. Last week’s kill was just over 61,000 for a full five-day week. With tight pig numbers and procurement managers who clearly want to hold on to every pig from their suppliers, all augur to a settled summer of positive margins for pig farmers for the first time since 2014.