Pig market: 08/05/2017

Prices reported to IFA

Comment: Chair of the IFA pigs committee Tom Hogan said the Irish pig price remained relatively stable once again this week. Quotes from processors remain settled in the range of €1.68/kg to €1.70c/kg, but the vibes on the ground are all indicating the need for a rise in pig prices. After last week’s short working week, factories will have to start working that bit harder to secure sufficient pig numbers in the coming weeks. Hogan called on all pig farmers to demand an increase in pig prices from their processor. We only have to look at where pig prices across Europe have moved to, with the average price now well above €1.70/kg, leaving the Irish ex-VAT equivalent price at 95% of the European average. This is not acceptable after the hardship that pig farmers have had to endure during the past two years, when pig farming was a loss-making business.