In this shortened week, the European mature pigs market has held steady, but price rises forecast after last week’s favourable movements have failed to materialise.

Although the majority of European quotations moved sideways (as a result of the May Bank Holiday), Spain and Belgium recorded moderate increases. Many quotations remain above last year’s levels.

On Friday, French authorities announced that the country had suspended imports from the United States and Japan, over concerns related to PEDv, a deadly virus which has swept through the US pig herd. French producers saw their quotation drop by two cents last week.

After enjoying back-to-back rises for the past two months, UK producers saw their quotation tumble by two cents this week, bringing prices to €1.96/ kg (£1.60).

Meanwhile, in Denmark, producers breathed a collective sigh of relief after a suspected case of classical swine fever at the Herning site (Danish Crown) was given the all-clear.