Industry high-ups in Germany have questioned whether the latest round of price rises in continental Europe will force German processors to act and acquiesce to a price increase.

ISN said the European mature pigs market is this week "cautiously heralding the long-awaited price increase." ISN analysts said on Tuesday that "In Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Great Britain the quotations all increased slightly. In Germany, the processing industry has prevented this by threatening to pay so-called discount prices."

Prices in the Netherlands, which are traditionally pegged to those in German, rose independently by 1 cent this week. In Austria, producers secured a 2.1 cent increase, as demand exceeded supply. Germany aside, only prices in Denmark and Ireland remained unchanged.

ISN said that the situation in the country means that processors will not be able to hold out much longer, and claimed the promised price increase is expected before too long.