Some pig processors have announced price cuts blaming weakness on EU markets. Rosderra, Kepak and Cookstown in NI have cut by 4c/kg and are paying €1.56c/kg to €1.58c/kg. Stauntons and Dawn continue to pay €1.64.

IFA pig chair Tom Hogan condemned the cuts and said the plants were being opportunistic. The Irish market is much firmer than mainland EU markets, he said.

Difficulties on EU markets arise mainly from the continuing ban by China on all pigmeat from Germany, due to cases of African swine fever. This ban is now in place two months, prices there are as low as €1.27/kg and a backlog of fit pigs has developed.

In addition, China has imposed some restrictions on imports from Denmark because of concerns about the variant strain of COVID-19 found in farmed mink.