Slight decline in the SPP

By Bethan Wilkins

The EU-spec SPP averaged 165.36p/kg in the week ended 11 July. This was a slight fall of 0.14p compared to the previous week and was the first time prices have dropped for six weeks. Compared with the same week last year, the SPP was 13p higher.

Prices for pigs within the key 70-104.9kg weight band were more stable, falling by just 0.06p to 166.02p/kg. The price for pigs 105kg and over particularly fell in the latest week, dropping by 0.88p to 125.95p/kg. These pigs remain a small part of the sample overall (1%), though numbers in this category were up on the week. The 60-69.9kg category, which represented about 4% of the sample, also fell by 0.23p to 163.93p/kg.

Throughput for the week stood at 161,700 head, only slightly lower than a year earlier but 5% down on the previous week. At 85.00kg, carcase weights were again well over a kilo higher year-on-year.

Reports suggest that the market is reasonably balanced. Some processors have reportedly planned shorter kill weeks due to maintenance, but equally previous bouts of hot weather have apparently slowed some pig growth rates. The mix of processors operating during the week can affect the overall average price. The effect on demand of restaurants reopening remains to be seen, though initial reports suggest orders were lower than anticipated.

The weaner market is generally described as balanced at present. In the week ended 11 July, the price for 7kg weaners edged down to £42.72/head. Meanwhile, the 30kg price increased to £60.84/head.

The EU-spec APP increased again in the week ended 4 July. At 168.14p/kg, this was 0.53p higher compared with the week earlier. The SPP recorded a smaller increase in the same week, so the gap between the two series widened to 2.64p.

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