This week, the EU mature pigs market has shown a degree of volatility. German producers' organisation ISN expressed concern about the lack of uniformity in response to scarce supplies across the continent.  Nevertheless, ISN said the overall market situation remains "dominated by a friendly trend, with many quotations going up following the German example."

According to the group, "After a period of high summer temperatures and lower daily growth resulting from them, both the slaughter weights and quantities slaughtered are declining sustainably."

Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria all enjoyed price increases this week. The corrected British quotation also went up as a result of currency fluctuations.

In Denmark and Ireland, prices remained unchanged. In France, prices dropped by 2.6 percent, as a result of pressures on domestic trade and the influence of quotations in neighbouring Germany.

ISN said that although the situation is currently favourable, there could be turbulence ahead.