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
    • September 2025
    • August 2025
    • 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    • 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. September 2025
    2. August 2025
    3. 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    4. July 2025
    5. June 2025
    6. 2025 Innovation supplement
    7. May 2025
    8. April 2025
    9. March 2025
    10. 2025 Buildings supplement
    11. February 2025
    12. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    13. January 2025
    14. December 2024
    15. November 2024
    16. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    17. October 2024
    18. September 2024
    19. August 2024
    20. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    21. July 2024
    22. June 2024
    23. 2024 Innovation supplement
    24. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    25. May 2024
    26. April 2024
    27. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    28. March 2024
    29. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    30. February 2024
    31. January 2024
    32. December 2023
    33. November 2023
    34. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    35. October 2023
    36. September 2023
    37. Health Supplement
    Featured

    September 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    September 1, 2025
    Recent

    September 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    September 1, 2025

    August 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    August 1, 2025

    2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement now available

    August 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Comment

Tired of Waiting

Peter CrichtonBy Peter CrichtonApril 22, 20224 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Pig values appear to be pausing for breath at a time when pig producers need prices to re-accelerate to try and reduce the gaping chasm between COP levels and the price of pigs.

The latest SPP is however moving in the right direction and rose by 4.01p to 161.74p. UK weekly contribution prices are generally tending to remain at similar levels with a glass ceiling at 190p and others between 168p – 170p, but spot prices are definitely on the move with regular sellers able to achieve prices between 130p and 140p/kg in the main and more for lighter weights in the fresh meat sector.

Although the Euro has risen a touch and stands at 83.9p, this was not enough to tempt cull sow buyers to dig a bit deeper and put prices up most of which stood on between 74p – 78p/kg, but with a significant number of pig producers being forced to cull a growing number of sows are heading for the exit door due to the massive losses still being clocked up on farms by many pig producers.

On the plus side, those weaner producers with contracts linked to the SPP are getting a generally better return for their pigs, although in the absence of any AHDB weaner price statistics, it is difficult to report recent values but prices for RSPCA assured piglets have generally been in the £34-£38/head range with the prospect of more to come if the upcoming pig shortage materialises.

However, with ongoing concerns over feed costs and the straw season not too far away, pig finishers are still being extremely cautious with their buying decisions and who can blame them.

The warfare in Ukraine continues to put an immense amount of upward pressure on cereal and protein prices, although in the last few days some of these have to some extent levelled with feed wheat for May delivery easing slightly from £327/t a week ago to £320/t now and September wheat is also a shade easier at £285/t.

UK spot feed wheat traded on an ex farm basis at £308.1/t which is very little changed from last week, but still way over the top as far as pig producers are concerned. Feed barley futures prices are not far behind wheat with May delivery quoted at £314/t and September at £273/t.

With the continuing Russian advance into Ukraine disrupting all protein and cereal markets, it is no surprise that Hipro soya meal values continue to rise with May deliveries quoted at £492/t and for November – April 2023 at £483/t.

On a slightly more positive side UK rapemeal for May – July delivery has remained relatively static at £403/t.
Unfortunately, the cereal and protein markets continue to be spooked by Ukraine’s situation and in the unlikely event of some form of truce being agreed, the months ahead remain vulnerable to further rises in production costs for pig producers.

And finally, although signs are emerging that some of the backlog of heavy pigs is being eroded average carcass weights are still high at 93.14kg and slaughter numbers have dropped by 9% over the past week’s kill, but that was during a ‘short’ week.

Looking ahead, industry sources are flagging up that unless retailers and abattoirs are prepared to find ways of passing on a sustainable return to pig producers it will be difficult for the whole UK pig supply chain to weather this particularly nasty storm which looks set to go on for quite a while.

One way in which some stability might be brought back to the pig industry is if producer contracts include a realistic COP element to allow pig incomes to keep pace with costs, rising inflation and falling consumer demand, but many producers have already reached the end of their chain and can wait no longer as far as any rescue package is concerned.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleA new leadership team for Young NPA
Next Article Factory issues and short Easter week slow market momentum
Peter Crichton

Read Similar Stories

Vet View: Managing heat stress in pigs

August 6, 2025

Comment: Was the move indoors the right decision for us?

August 4, 2025

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

July 9, 2025
Latest News

Straw prices for the week ending September 7, 2025

September 3, 2025

Farm assurance debate: An important change driven by the supply chain

September 3, 2025

Farm assurance debate: A commitment to welfare excellence

September 3, 2025
Sponsored Content

Enhancing Weaned Pig Health and Performance with Zinc and Iron

August 1, 2025

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

April 30, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1773 Aberdeenshire

    • Aberdeenshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior Pig Stockperson – Ref 1772 Aberdeenshire

    • Aberdeenshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior Pig Stockperson – Ref 1771 Australia

    • Queensland, Australia
    • 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.