Inside Pigs
Pig market is waiting for BBQ weather
After Easter, pig prices have significantly more trouble rising than in the weeks before. It is waiting for impulses to push through to higher price levels.
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There will be more than enough pigs in the Netherlands by next week. The cancellation of a slaughter day (due to Ascension Day) obviously contributes to this. Various traders report that the slaughterhouses are full.
Decreasing slaughter weight
In the Netherlands, the slaughter figure has managed to remain above the 300.000 pig limit, which indicates that pigs are not scarce here. The weights do show a downward trend. The average slaughter weight decreased by 70 grams to 97,90 kilos. That is the lowest level this year.
The loss of 1 day of slaughter also camouflages the shortage on the German market. Last week the slaughter figure (889.325 pigs) was almost 8% behind last year. However, the German pig price (the VEZG quotation) remained at €1,80 per kilo.
Meat market is waiting for impulses
The lackluster meat sales of more luxurious meat parts, which are consumed within Europe, is the reason why pig prices are not rising further. A lack of summer weather means that consumption is lagging behind. As a result, the meat purchasing parties are also waiting. We have to wait for BBQ weather to provide the pig market with new impulses. Sales to China and Japan are still going strong, but export prices are still stuck at the same levels.
Now that the pig market is in balance, the vast majority of traders are calling for a stable DCA Exchange Price 2.0. The price of slaughtered pigs is therefore €1,68 per kilo. The price of live pigs remains at €1,36 per kilo.