Rosderra and Kepak reduced the pig price downwards by 4c/kg last Friday for this week’s kill. Suppliers to both these operations are receiving as low as €1.52/kg but there are certain add-on’s and bonuses not included in this low base quote. Other factories have held their price at last week’s price range of €1.56-1.60/kg. While any price drop is disappointing, it is particularly hard to accept when the cost of production is rising, with feed costs increasing and the futures commodity market not settled. Break-even price for a sustainable pig farming sector was estimated at €1.50/kg in the past, but this is now closer to €1.60/kg with todays feed prices. The current pig situation across much of mainland Europe has not improved and while the pigmeat outlook for the second half of 2021 is quite positive, the next few months will be tough going financially for all European pig producers. Last week’s total ROI pig production was reported as 71,377.
Ireland’s percentage of the EU price has improved and is currently 122% of the EU average price as reported to the EU Commission for the week commencing 28/12/2020.
Factory pig throughput in Republic of Ireland export plants for the week ending January 17th 2021 was 71,377 head which was 514 less than the previous week and 1,902 more than in the corresponding week in 2020.
Export Plants
Top prices on a flat rate basis </= €1.52/kg in Rosderra and Kepak </=€1.58/kg – €1.62/kg in Cookstown, </= €1.58/kg – €1.60/kg in Dawn Pork & Bacon and </=€1.56/kg -€ 1.60/kg in Staunton’s and Karro.
Sows
€0.44-0.52c/kg DW.
Weekly Slaughtering’s Week-ending 17/1/21
Pigs: 71,141 Sows: 2,036
EU-27 Pigmeat Reference Price Week Commencing 28/12/20
Irish price: €1.57kg
EU–27 average price: €1.28kg
(Grade E pigs – 55% to 60% lean meat excluding VAT but including transport and bonuses).
