Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Peter Crichton

Peter Crichton’s commentary for June 26, 2015

Peter CrichtonBy Peter CrichtonJune 26, 20153 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

It was a difficult day for sellers, coinciding with the “Wimbledon and strawberries” season, that often seems to be the time when prices start to feel the pressure, although this has, unfortunately, been the case for much of the year in 2015.

Although the SPP put on 0.48p and now stands at 132.38p, this trend was not reflected on the spot market where spot bacon generally traded at or around 130-134p/kg according to spec.

Weekly announced contract prices have generally held at similar levels, but the news that German prices were about 8c lower has done nothing to improve market sentiment.

Probably the biggest disappointment in the whole sector today has been the crash in cull sow prices, which lost another 5-6p/kg today, meaning that cull sow values are now almost 50% of their level a year ago. With an average cull sow weighing 140kg, their per-head value has dropped from £140 to £70, not helped by an ongoing weak euro which traded on Friday worth 71.07p.

This price collapse flags up a £27 million black hole in the balance sheets of UK pig farmers, based on the current 390,000 head domestic pig breeding herd.

Unfortunately, those producers who can no-longer afford to stay in the business are between a rock and a hard place because, in most cases, their overdrafts will exceed the value of their herds once culled.

Retailers who claim to support UK farmers need reminding that without significant premiums many will be unable to continue to provide UK welfare friendly pigmeat at a loss.

The picture as far as weaner producers is concerned is not much better, with the latest AHDB 30kg average slipping to £44.08/head, although 7kg prices have staged a modest rally, rising to £33.12/head.

Finishers will soon be busy with harvest and straw carting, which is often a difficult time to sell weaners and might be a good occasion for those buyers with strong nerves and bank balances to dip into the spot weaner market and have some finishers ready to sell in the autumn?

However, rising feed prices may put a lid on the viability of this suggestion as, at the time of writing this report, July wheat on the LIFFE market has moved ahead by £2.70/t to £113.75/t and November was trading up £2.20/t at £127.75/t. The main reasons for this spike are weather related, with forecasts of much dryer weather across wide areas of Northern Europe and too much rain in the grain belt areas of the US.

And finally, reports that Moscow intends to extend its ban on European food imports for a further 12 months will continue to add downward pressure to worldwide pig prices affecting Europe in particular, and shades of the Cold War are returning in Europe, with claims that the export bans are not political, but are for animal health and biosecurity reasons… we shall see!

This comes at a time when European cold stores are full and, according to the NPA, contain the equivalent of almost 800,000 live pigs that are being held under the EU Pigmeat Storage Scheme. This product will soon be moving out of the cold stores and into the market, adding further volume at a time when larger worldwide supplies of pigmeat are also becoming available, in particular due to the recovery of the US herd from PEDv.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleLatest Porcichews bring new flavours and textures
Next Article Pulled pork rocks Glastonbury
Peter Crichton

Read Similar Stories

This Will Be The Last Time (Peter Crichton’s final market update)

March 25, 2023

Pigs on the Wing

March 17, 2023

Good Vibrations

March 10, 2023
Latest News

UK poorly protected from animal diseases that could cost taxpayer billions – NPA tells MPs

July 8, 2025

What the pig sector can learn from poultry’s avian flu response

July 8, 2025

Tributes paid, after respected pig farmer, Rob Beckett, passes away

July 7, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson Farm Worker – Ref 1756 UK

    • United Kingdom
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.