Pig Prices (UK Spec)

• UK-spec SPP (w/e 11 Jan 2020) ↓at 159.55p/kg
• Estimated slaughter (w/e 11 Jan 2020) ↑ 181,900 head
• UK-spec APP (w/e 4 Jan 2020) ↓0.46p to 160.98p/kg

In the week ended 11 January, the UK-spec SPP moved marginally lower (-0.02p). Despite this week on week drop it is still over 22p above the price in the same week last year.

Estimated slaughter for the week totalled 181,900 head, the first week of normal throughput and, as such much higher than the previous week (+45,200).

The drop this week is more reflective of the weight of the pigs in the sample than a reduction of the price. This week saw an unusually large proportion of heavy pigs, perhaps aimed at finishing during the Christmas period and not fitting into reduced abattoir schedules. Although the price of the pigs in the heaviest weight band was higher week-on-week, their number affected the SPP overall.

Carcase weights averaged to 87.89kg considerably heavier than last week (+970g). This reflects the number of heavy pigs in this weeks’ sample.

The UK-spec APP has continued to increase in the week ending 4 January following the SPP which also dropped in this week. As such, the gap between the two narrowed to 1.41p.