Although demand for mature pigs for slaughter remains relatively low across Europe, tight supplies have ensured stable prices throughout most of the bloc. In Southern Europe in particular, the slaughter weights have been reducing over the past week, according to analysts at Germany’s pig industry body ISN.

As a consequence of low provisioning in the markets, the prices have risen by a converted 2 cents per kg slaughter weight overall. In France and Belgium, prices rose by 1cent on last week. However, French and Spanish companies have reported more challenging conditions in the export markets in past weeks, which ISN said is “because up to now Germany has been said to be the country to break the rise in prices and because higher prices were hardly enforceable against German companies’ bargain offers.”

There was no change reported in returns for German, Austrian, Danish and Dutch producers, though markets are reportedly “balanced” in these countries and exports are proceeding without the challenges experienced further south.

In Germany, the increased demand is expected to translate into rising acquisition prices from slaughter companies over the coming weeks. According to a report published in the Wirtschaftswoche magazine, German consumers bought about 7 percent less barbecue meat this June (despite the European Football Championship) than they did during the same period last year. However, following a wet and cool start to the summer, uptake is increasing for barbecue meat.

An ISN spokesperson commented on the developing trend, “At the beginning of the new week of slaughter, pigs are still urgently demanded by the slaughter companies. It seems impossible to meet every demand promptly. If this trend continues, a price increase should be the logical next step.”

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