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
Comment

Don’t Hang Up

Peter CrichtonBy Peter CrichtonJune 10, 20224 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Good to note that the SPP continues to move up rising by 3.84p this week to a new record high of 180.57p, rather like the fable of the tortoise and the hare COP levels are continuing to bound ahead for the time being,

The situation in much of the EU remains static with the influential German producer price still stuck at 180 EUR (153p/kg) for the fifth week running and as a result yet more foreign imports are continuing to cross the Channel undercutting the UK market by a significant margin.

However, it was good to see that Cranswick added 5p to their weekly contribution price at the start of the week after this commentary had gone to press and it now stands at 185p, with the other main players who have stood on anywhere between 173p and 190p/kg.

Spot bacon prices have improved to around 160p/kg with premiums for lighter weight gilts, but these prices are still well below the SPP.

Unfortunately cull sow prices are continuing to slump, dropping by another 8p/kg to between 47p – 51p/kg with most now knocking average per head values back to not much more than £65/head at a time when reports of more sow herds being culled are circulating.

The Euro remains little changed at 85p. Contract weaner prices continue to benefit from the recent rises in the SPP and for those producers selling RSPCA Assured 7kg piglets, prices are generally in the £42 – £45/head region.

Spot weaners are still hard to clear except at rock bottom prices due to the ongoing concern over soaring COP levels while most finisher buyers are still in the red, with reports from the AHDB indicating average losses of an eye watering £58 per pig for the first quarter of 2022.

Some breeders/finishers are indicating that they will need 240p/kg to break even based on the latest COP prices, which in many cases are unsustainable leading to further falls in the already shrinking UK pig herd.

Fighting in Ukraine continues to add pressure to almost all elements of the UK pig industry and beyond with highly volatile market price changes adding to all the usual problems producers have to face, as well as keeping their bank managers and suppliers on side.

At the time of preparing this report, one chink of light has been to see some falls in feed commodity prices with UK spot ex farm feed average wheat values easing by £18.20/t to £285.90/t, but this could change in the drop of a hat in such a fickle market,

Futures prices for UK cereals have seen feed wheat traded at £302/t for July and September. Feed barley values continue to fall with September 2022 traded at £286/t.

Hipro soya for July – October delivery has dropped back slightly to £471/t with November – April 2023 at £463/t. Rapemeal has also fallen marginally with July delivery at £329/t down from £338/t over the past seven days.

And finally, a few green shoots continue to appear as far as the UK pig industry is concerned. These include fewer slaughter pigs in the system with lower carcass weights and good BBQ weather forecast for the week ahead, which could convert UK pig producers’ beer glasses from being half empty to half full.

There are also reports from the other side of the globe that Chinese pig numbers have been hit very hard by a new strain of PRRS, which could open up export opportunities while we still have enough producers in the UK pig supply chain, which is at risk of falling apart.

In the meantime there is widespread dissatisfaction in the pig industry of the prime minister taking anything in the way of positive action to limit imports from countries where ASF is an absolute killer but, as the old saying goes, if you employ a clown a circus usually follows!

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleAward-winning farm rooting for future success
Next Article ASF discovered in domestic pigs in Italy for the first time
Peter Crichton

Read Similar Stories

Comment: British pork reimagined: Data-led marketing for a changing consumer

July 9, 2025

Comment: Market recovery, export growth and on-farm innovation

July 7, 2025

Comment: Encouraging signs as big pig issues discussed in parliament

July 4, 2025
Latest News

ABN kicks off pioneering long-term mill project

July 11, 2025

Red Tractor to press ahead with new tiers for outdoor pig producers

July 10, 2025

Last chance to enter or nominate for 2025 National Pig Awards

July 10, 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
  • Senior-Level Pig Stockperson – Ref 1760 Hampshire

    • Hampshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1759 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • 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.