Analysis Pigs
Stable pig market can still go either way
The pig market is going through a dull period. There are few ingredients in the market that could cause a movement up or down. As a result, the DCA Beursprijs continues to move sideways.
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The German pig price (VEZG) has been at the same level of €1,92 per kilo for four weeks in a row now. A similar price pattern can also be seen in the Netherlands and surrounding countries. Sideways price movements at this time of year are not unusual. In 2023, the stable line was extended into the new year. In the two years before that, it led to an improving market towards Christmas twice. In 2020, the opposite picture was visible and the market fell in the last weeks of the year.
Market is still open
All three options are still possible this year. It is difficult to say where the market is heading. Supermarket buyers sometimes try to talk the market down. On the other hand, the supply of pigs in Europe is currently not excessively large, nor are the frozen stocks. A positive aspect is that the Spanish pig price has not fallen any further after a long period. The pressure on the meat prices has also subsided in recent weeks, which means that there is stability in general. Many meat buyers are covered for a short time and are aiming for cheaper prices on the spot market in the run-up to Christmas. However, if the market does pick up, this could still cause some 'panic' among buyers.
Weights are increasing
In the Netherlands, the supply of live pigs is in balance with the demand, with the remark that relatively little is slaughtered. The slaughter figure last week was at the lowest level since 2013. This is due to the lower animal numbers in our country. However, the average slaughter weight is on the rise and above the limit of 100 kilos.
Pig farmers can theoretically easily deliver ahead if they do not trust the market. In Germany, the supply is somewhat larger than in our country, still as a result of the broken slaughter weeks in October.
DCA Benchmark Price - Pigs
On balance, the market is in balance and it does not look like this will change in the short term. The DCA Beursprijs 2.0 remains the same at €1,89 per kilo for slaughtered pigs. The price of live pigs remains at €1,48 per kilo.
Click here for an explanation from DCA Market Intelligence on the listing.