Irish pig prices increased by 4c/kg on Friday last, with farmers receiving quotes of €2.06c/kg up to €2.16/kg from processing plants in Ireland. The weekly throughput for week ending the 19th of February was 62,851 of which 1,721 were sows. That weekly throughput figure represents a significant decline on the same week last year in the number of fatteners presenting for processing. Similar tightening in supply can be seen across Europe with further price increases paid to pig farmers across Europe for this week’s pigs. Sow prices are also increasing substantially.
Recent price increases across EU include; Belgium +8c at €2.14, France +6c to €2.61, Germany +8c to €2.28, Netherlands +12 to €2.09 and Spain +8c to €2.40. German cull sow prices are circa €1.66/kg+ demonstrating tightening of pig supply across Europe. While Irish pig prices did increase by 4c this week, prices that producers are receiving remain well behind what some other Member States are receiving for their pigs currently. Farmers urgently need Irish prices to increase further and given what other EU markets are signifying, Irish prices need to move to reflect this too. The average European Pig Price for week 6 was €2.12/kg according to the European Commission and rising.
