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
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • Innovation supplement 2024
    • Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    • 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. May 2025
    2. April 2025
    3. March 2025
    4. 2025 Buildings supplement
    5. February 2025
    6. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    7. January 2025
    8. December 2024
    9. November 2024
    10. National Pig Awards supplement
    11. October 2024
    12. September 2024
    13. August 2024
    14. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    15. July 2024
    16. June 2024
    17. Innovation supplement 2024
    18. Pig & Poultry Fair Guide 2024
    19. May 2024
    20. April 2024
    21. Buildings Supplement
    22. March 2024
    23. Pig Nutrition (Beyond Zinc)
    24. February 2024
    25. January 2024
    26. December 2023
    27. November 2023
    28. National Pig Awards Supplement 2023
    29. October 2023
    30. September 2023
    31. Health Supplement
    Featured

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
    Recent

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025

    April 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    April 4, 2025

    March 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    March 6, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Comment

Back to The Future

Peter CrichtonBy Peter CrichtonDecember 27, 20194 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

A relatively quiet end to a fairly turbulent year with most index prices showing little variation with their pre-Christmas values.

Although the SPP put on a useful 1.15p last week to stand at its highest level of the year at 161.84p, fortunately the influential German producer price which had dropped eight cents in the week before Christmas has remained at similar levels, worth €1.95, which works out at 166p in our money.

Most weekly contribution prices have stayed at last week’s level with a range of values between 155p-163p.

UK bacon pigs have traded at similar levels on the week with retail sales still described as patchy with headline prices propped up by the ongoing export trade with China and the Far East due to Classical swine fever.

As a result, spot bacon quotes were generally in the 162-165p range with no real appetite for extra numbers and plenty of alternative forms of sustenance such as mince pies, Christmas pudding and turkey remnants still filling a hole.

Cull sow prices have followed the stand on trend of the European pig market as a whole with UK cull sow export buyers generally holding their prices between 112-118p according to load size, but hopefully prices will improve once the New Year holiday is over and normal service is resumed.

The value of the euro showed very little change with its latest quotation of 85.27p compared with 85.6p a week earlier and any further weakening in the value of the pound would be welcomed as far as pig meat imports and exports are concerned.

Weaner prices remain firm although finishing space is still at a premium with the latest AHDB 7kg average ex-farm value up by 20p to £41.80/head but there is still insufficient data for a AHDB 30kg average to be quoted, although reports have been received that these are in most cases changing hands (or trotters) at around the £55-£58 mark.

Feed values are continuing their stealthy rise with UK feed wheat futures prices of £154/t for January and £162/t for September and feed barley between £131-£137 for similar dates. Ex-farm UK feed wheat spot prices are averaging in the £142/t region

Protein values also hardened a touch with Jan-April ’20 Hipro soya meal worth £297/t and May-October ’20 £294/t.

And finally, as the year draws to a close this might be a good idea to review what has happened in the past 12 months and hope this might provide some clues for the future:

January 2019

  • SPP 140.6p
  • European Av Pig Price 116p
  • AHDB 30kg weaner £44.40p
  • AHDB 7kg weaner £35.62
  • Cull sow values 58p
  • UK feed wheat spot value £170.50/t
  • Euro 90p

December 2019

  • SPP 161.82p
  • European Av Pig Price 161.45p
  • AHDB 30kg weaner £56.50 (*estimated) £41.80
  • AHDB 7kg weaner £110p
  • Cull sow values £142.00/t
  • UK feed wheat spot value
  • Euro 85.6p

Some of the biggest fluctuations relate to sow value prices and the European pig price and a rally in the value of the British pound at the end of the year following the Brexit shenanigans, which may not yet be over.

The main talking point remains the dramatic spread of African swine fever which was first diagnosed in China in August 2018 and has since spread through over 20 neighbouring countries throughout much of the Far East and more uncomfortably, has also been diagnosed in wild boar in Belgium with other ASF outbreaks in former Eastern European regions.

ASF testing and bio-security vigilance on an international basis remains at varying levels, with Australia taking the whole situation very seriously despite all the other challenges they have to meet in terms of global warming and forest fires.

As far as the UK is concerned, it is imperative that bio-security levels for imported meat and any farm livestock heading this way are strengthened.

Closer to home, this epidemic comes at a time when domestic red meat sales are continuing to perform badly and this is yet another reason why our pig meat export trade remains vital for the health and survival of the pig industry.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleThe potential roads to recovery from African swine fever in China
Next Article 2020 political predictions – and why your voice is so important
Peter Crichton

Read Similar Stories

Vet View: Step back and look at your unit with external eyes

May 7, 2025

Comment: Pigs Tomorrow – shaping the future of the pig industry

May 5, 2025

Comment: All things Trump, tariffs and international trade

May 2, 2025
Latest News

MPs call on Government to delay IHT reforms until 2027

May 16, 2025

Government eases Germany foot-and-mouth disease controls

May 16, 2025

Q1 margins tighten further as pig prices fall and costs rise

May 15, 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 1739 Devon

    • Devon
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1738 Co. Fermanagh

    • County Fermanagh
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Stockperson

    • Swaffham, Norfolk
    • DYER LIVESTOCK 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
  • 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.