EU pig slaughterings in August were 4% higher compared with a year earlier, when assessed on a working day basis, according to BPEX.
Quoting the latest figures from Eurostat, which followed a calendar month rather than working day basis, BPEX pointed out that a one-day working difference between August 2014 and 2013 confirmed an “increase in supply”, contributing to the fall in pig prices which had been “apparent since the summer”.
“Pig meat production in the EU for August (without applying the one-day adjustment), was almost unchanged from a year earlier at 1.7 million tonnes” said BPEX, adding that, based on this figure, pigs were slightly heavier in the first eight months of this year than in the same period in 2013.
“During August, Denmark recorded the largest year-on-year decline in pig slaughterings, by 16%, although this may be subject to revision as Danish figures have been unusually volatile of late. Declining throughputs are partly a result of a continued rise in weaner exports, leaving lower availability for the Danish slaughterhouses.
“In France, pig slaughterings declined by 4% on the year. However, higher throughputs in the other key markets offset these declines, leading to an overall stability. For example, German and Spanish pig slaughtering both increased by 1% on a year earlier.
“Irish abattoirs slaughtered 4% more pigs in August this year. Increases were even more evident in Poland and the Netherlands, where throughputs rose by 7% and 8% respectively.”
