Comment: The main processors remain on the same official quotes as the previous week, with the southern plants leading on €1.74c/kg. The picture is not as clear cut the further north you go, with no official change in prices, but reports from pig suppliers indicate that between 2c/kg and 4c/kg of an increase was paid over the past two weeks. From a low of €1.70c/kg up to €1.76c/kg is being paid for pigs across the country. The higher prices and reports of a few cent more are being paid for spot loads and lighter pigs by some plants. There is great competition for pigs, especially in the northern part of the country, with plants struggling to fill their kill last week. With low numbers of pigs forecast to be slaughtered across the EU for the next five months, pig farmers are hopeful that the current good price will at least be maintained in 2017. Ireland is now well below the EU average price and this is not a situation that can be sustained, according to IFA pigs chair Tom Hogan. In order for Irish pig farmers to compete, we have to at least follow the trade of our European neighbours. Hogan called on all processors to lift prices to €1.80c/kg.