German pig industry organisation ISN has revealed that the last week has seen encouraging price rises for Europe’s pig producers. In many EU member states quotations are rising respectably as clement weather arrives in time for the end of the summer holiday season.

Demand for pork is strong across Europe and, helped by reduced supplies, prices went up by +8 cents in Germany. In Austria (+9 cents), the Netherlands (+8 cents) and Belgium (+7 cents), slaughter companies also paid out the highest prices since August 2008. However, more challenging parallels do exist between this season and 2008.  Then, as now, producers had to weather increased feed costs and strong demand from the Eastern EU member countries prevailed for live pigs and pork.

Nevertheless, producer prices in Denmark also went up for the current week; yet with just +3 cents, the increase lagged behind that of Germany and its surrounding states. In Southern Europe, prices have more or less stabilised on a higher level. In Spain, prices increased slightly (+1 cent). The hot summer temperatures have had a negative effect on fattening pigs’ daily growth, so that the quantities on offer continue to be ion short supply. In France, too, the quantities on offer lag far behind demand at present. As a consequence of this, the Plerin auction closed 4 cents higher than last week.

Even with the quotations having increased, ISN said the demand remains brisk on the part of the slaughter companies. The quantities on offer are no longer as scarce as they were last week in central Europe, so demand and supply may become more balanced. Even so, this means prices are expected to remain steady.

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