Irish pig processors should ensure that any improvements in the pig trade are reflected in farm-gate prices, according to the IFA’s Pat O’Flaherty.
The IFA National Pigs Committee Chairman said it is very encouraging to see European prices improving again this week.
However, he said that it is crucial that Irish pig processors do not become complacent with their prices and an imminent price increase is clearly justified.
Irish pigs are generally trading from €1.46-1.48/kg.
O’Flaherty also said that the demand for pork is currently strong and is likely to remain so due to a combination of factors.
These include the holiday season, the fast approaching soccer European Championships and a continuing strong export market.
He added that pig prices in Europe have also improved, with France, Germany, Spain and Denmark all passing back healthy price increases to producers.
So far this year, there have been an 80,000 extra Irish pigs slaughtered at approved plants, figures from Bord Bia show.
It shows that supplies are currently running 2% ahead of last year, mainly driven by higher supplies of finished pigs (+7%), while supplies of sows and boars are back by 5%.
For the week ending May 27, it shows that 62,000 pigs were slaughtered at export meat plants, which was 2% or 1,000 head higher than the same week in 2015.
According to Bord Bia, the British pig trade has edged upwards with demand rising due to good weather and the barbeque season.
It shows that British pig throughput for the year to date is 5% higher than 2015, driven mainly by a higher number of finished pigs and lower imports from continental Europe.
However, French retail promotions continue to focus on domestically produced pork, such as chops, shoulders, fillets and sliced pork products.
Meanwhile, pig production in the Netherlands is also up, with supplies 2% higher than the corresponding period in 2015.
Pig supplies
Main pigmeat markets