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
News

Prime pig prices cool as supplies increase

Simon KingBy Simon KingSeptember 17, 20183 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Farmgate pig prices have cooled over the past few weeks, leaving them currently 9% lower than this time last year, according to the latest Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) analysis.

Stuart Ashworth – QMS
According to Stuart Ashworth, QMS director of economics services (pictured), as the year draws to a close, however, pig prices normally do dip seasonally.

“Also contributing to the cooling of producer price is a larger availability of pigs for slaughter in the UK,” said Mr Ashworth.

“Notwithstanding the dip in slaughtering caused by reduced supplies of CO2 during June, which caused some increase in availability during July as the backlog was cleared, the UK weekly pig kill in July this year was reported to be 6% higher than last year, more than offsetting the lower kill in June.”

Throughputs at pig price reporting abattoirs, he added, remain ahead of last year’s levels through August but dipped slightly in early September.

“With pig carcase weights higher than last year, this modest increase in production will have constrained prices as will a more competitive export market, particularly in Europe, which led to reduced UK export volumes during July,” said Mr Ashworth.

Meanwhile, the UK retail demand for fresh pork products continues to struggle. Latest information from Kantar Worldpanel research shows retail purchases of pork in the three months to mid-August to be 4% lower than a year ago although ready meals and processed product consumption has seen some modest increase.

However, Scottish producers are seeing more modest price falls than elsewhere in the world.

“The average European producer price, which had strengthened during July and early August, has declined and is now 12% lower than last year,” commented Mr Ashworth. “The North American pig producers are seeing prices more than 20% lower than this time last year, as are the Brazilians.”

Looking at European pig prices, these are under pressure because of much higher production in the main pig producing nations of Europe – Spain and Denmark but also Poland and Romania – plus static export demand.

The Chinese market has become increasingly tough and both Europe and the UK have seen exports their dip, but alternative markets in Asia have taken more product.

According to Mr Ashworth, falling prices in the United States are associated with growth in production, but also the sensitivity of commodity prices to changing terms of trade.

“The developing trade war between China and the USA has seen China increase tariff rates and physical checks on American pig meat on two occasions over the summer,” said Mr Ashworth.

“This caused a collapse in American pig meat exports to China, leaving a significant volume of pig meat on the domestic market which has undoubtedly contributed significantly to the decline in American producer prices over the summer. Meanwhile, US pork production in the third quarter of 2018 is expected to be 4% higher than last year.”

Brazilian producer prices are much lower than last year because the Russian market has been closed to them for technical concerns.

“As Brexit uncertainty continues, the examples of the US and Brazilian market show how quickly technical constraints on trade can disrupt supply patterns and impact on market prices,” added Mr Ashworth.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleIt ain’t easy
Next Article Market dominated by the arrival of ASF in Belgium
Simon King

Read Similar Stories

GB pig prices for week ending July 5, 2025 – SPP bounces back to reach year high

July 9, 2025

Nutrient Action Programme could destroy NI pig sector, UFU warns

July 9, 2025

Straw prices for the week ending July 13, 2025

July 9, 2025
Latest News

GB pig prices for week ending July 5, 2025 – SPP bounces back to reach year high

July 9, 2025

Nutrient Action Programme could destroy NI pig sector, UFU warns

July 9, 2025

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

July 9, 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 1759 North Yorkshire

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

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • 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.