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

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025
    Recent

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

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

Pork supply outlook uncertain in 2019

Simon KingBy Simon KingJanuary 30, 20193 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

The AHDB Outlook for UK pig meat supplies, produced back in October, has been reviewed to take account of recent developments in production and trade.

Clean pig slaughter was lower than expected during Q4 last year, falling 1% below 2017 levels. This meant UK pig meat production during the quarter was 2% behind a year earlier, as average carcase weights were slightly lower. It is thought that fewer pigs were pulled forward for Christmas this year, due to poor demand for standard pigs as cheap continental pork proved more attractive. This has made more pigs available in January; so far this month GB estimated slaughterings have been 6% above 2018 levels.

2-uk-outlook
However, other factors may also have been at play that limited slaughter towards the end of last year.

The latest APHA disease surveillance report suggests disease continued to be a challenge throughout the summer, which may have impacted supply availability. It is difficult to anticipate how this might develop moving forward. Herd performance is also expected to be affected by poorer fertility rates during the hot weather last summer, which should start to impact throughputs from the end of Q1 and into Q2 this year.

Beth Wilkins, a market intelligence analyst at AHDB, said: “The AHDB forecast has been revised down slightly to take account of the risk that herd performance might not improve as much as expected this year. Nonetheless, throughputs are still expected to be up 2-3% on 2018.

“Production is expected to increase similarly, reaching 948,000 tonnes. This maintains the original assumption of a little expansion in breeding sow numbers, driven by the integrated outdoor sector. However, there remains a risk that producers struggling in the current more difficult financial conditions will instead reduce herd numbers.”

Ms Wilkins added: “UK imports were higher than expected towards the end of last year, likely reflecting the competitive prices available at the time and some stockpiling activity in light of Brexit. Without clarity on Brexit, it is difficult to anticipate how imports will develop this year. Nonetheless, higher production levels should deter an increase, but this will depend on the prices on offer.

“Exports also picked up strongly in the latter part of 2018, particularly to China. China is expected to continue providing opportunities this year, as its domestic industry struggles with African Swine Fever. However, again it is difficult to tell how UK exports will fare overall without knowing how the UK will be trading with the EU, which is still the destination for over half of UK pig meat exports.”

As well as the uncertainty surrounding Brexit and herd performance, the potential for further spread of African Swine Fever also risks significant disruption to both the global and UK pig market.

Ms Wilkins added: “Overall, it’s therefore tricky to ascertain how the market might play out this year. Nonetheless, demand from consumers is unlikely to change wildly compared to previous years, so supplies on the market will need to turn out broadly stable if the market is to balance.”

More details on the outlook for UK pig meat supplies can be found by clicking HERE.

 

 

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleEU weaner prices recover, but not for everyone
Next Article Danish Crown announces a further ‘300 to 400’ job losses
Simon King

Read Similar Stories

AHDB seeking pork sector director, as Angela Christison announces departure

June 16, 2025

Farming and rural bodies give ‘cautious welcome’ to better-than-expected Defra funding settlement

June 11, 2025

GB pig prices for week ending June 7, 2025 – SPP moves up for fourth successive week

June 11, 2025
Latest News

AHDB seeking pork sector director, as Angela Christison announces departure

June 16, 2025

Pigs Tomorrow: The sustainability challenges and trade-offs

June 13, 2025

Pigs Tomorrow: Ever-increasing knowledge informs future of farrowing

June 12, 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
  • Farrowing Manager

    • Suffolk
    • Blythburgh Pigs
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1752 Somerset

    • Somerset
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior Piggery Stockpersons – Ref 1751 Western Australia

    • Western 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
  • 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.