April 17, 2012

       

BPEX Export Bulletin - April 2012 (Week 15)

BPEX is organising a mission to China coinciding with Minister Jim Paice's first visit to the country. The mission will include commercial meetings and will centre on Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

        

          

DENMARK

 

Market

 

Now that Easter is over fresh legs are sold more slowly and at a fairly unchanged price level. It also applies to cuts such as shoulders, collars and trimmings. As to loins the trade is stable and prices remain unchanged. Exports to the British bacon market and to markets outside of Europe are stable and the price level remains unchanged. (Sources, Danish Crown, Tican, Danish Agriculture and Food Council)

 

Pig consultants recommend feeding with a pure wheat blend

 

Use wheat and make a profit on your pig production. This is a current advice from the pig consultants with LandboMidtost. The consultants in particular recommend increasing the use of wheat in all pig feed with the current changed price relation between barley and wheat. Previously, barley often was a few Danish Crowns cheaper than wheat, but over the recent year the price relation has turned upside down. When calculating the price per feed unit in barley and wheat respectively it has been possible to get feed units at prices which are approximately 3 cents lower in wheat than in barley. After correction for amino acids and protein, the difference was approximately 2 cent per FU. The changed price relation impacts that the pig producer when changing from a slaughter pig blend with 50/50 barley and wheat to a pure wheat blend can save €2 per slaughter pig on the feed - and it is without any negative impact on the pigs. However, the consultants stress that pure wheat blends are not recommended for sows or piglets. (Source, Landbrugsavisen)

 

Danish Crown closes down Hadsund site

 

Danish Crown has announced that it will shut down its site in Hadsund before September this year. The production of the site that processes fresh and frozen meat will be transferred to other sites such as Ringsted or Herning as well as to some German sites. One reason for the closure of the plant is supposed to be the site's old age that, according to Danish Crown would have made large investments necessary in order to bring the plant up to the standard. The company has by now also disregarded the possibility to rebuild a new plant at the old site stating the investment would economically not have been feasible and a competitive future production not possible. (Source, topagrar)

 

Danish Slaughterhouses - payments week commencing 9 April 2012
Slaughterhouse	Danish Crown	Tican
Slaughter pigs (70.0 - 86.9 kg)	Euro 1.428	Euro 1.428
Difference to last week	Unchanged	Unchanged
Sows (Above 129.9 kg)	Euro 1,068	Euro 1.068
Difference to last week	Unchanged	Unchanged
Boars (Above 109.9 kg)	Euro 0.935	Euro 0.935
Difference to last week	Unchanged	Unchanged

 

 

FRANCE

 

Optimal utilization

 

"Dans le cochon tout est bon!" is a French saying that means "when it comes to pig meat, it's all good to eat". With the rise in cost of living in general and pig prices in particular. Let's look at inspiring economical options. These two traditional French recipes (for 6 people) are quick and easy to prepare but require slow cooking…

 

Pig tails "bonne femme" - Housewife's recipe

 

Preparation: 10 minutes, cooking: 3 hours

Ingredients: 6 pig tails, 250g lentils, 2 onions, 2 carrots, ½ liter of water, herbs, salt and pepper.

Keep the tails with rind on, cut in thick slices. Flame the slices and then wash them. Put the tail slices in the water with the lentils, the pealed and washed vegetable, the seasoning and leave 3 hours on a very low heat. Serve in a deep dish with mashed potatoes.

 

Pig ears "bonne femme"

 

Preparation: 15 minutes, cooking: 3 hours

Ingredients: 6 pig ears, 250g lentils, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 125 g of lard, ½ liter of water, herbs.

Flame and wash the ears. Place the ears in a casserole with the lentils, the lard, ½ liter of water, spices and sliced onions and carrots. Cook 3 hours on a very slow heat and serve in a deep dish with the ears placed on mashed potatoes.

 

Pork

 

Prices on the European markets remained stable during Easter. Germany, Spain and Belgium renewed their average prices. The trade is balanced due to measured availability in breeding for a better demand. This is due to the arrival of holidays (Good Friday for Spain, Good Friday and Easter Monday in Germany). It is likely with these Bank holidays that there will be delays for the upside of the market which will be quickly reduced especially if demands are as good as they were at the end of March.

 

Piglets

 

The European market confirms its fluidity. The prices are easily renewed in most of the states of the Union. In France, prices are still very firm. If the time is for a status quo in a lot of regions, it is not yet the tendency for FNP-FNCBV indices which continue to echo the recent falls in prices for the 25kg (-5 cents) and -79 cents for post weaning.

    

Pork prices RUNGIS week commencing 9 April 2012
Cut name	Price range (Euro/Kg)
Back fat, rind-on	0,70
Trimmings	1,46
Leg	2,32
Loin including chump	2,98
Loin excluding chump	2,50
Belly extra without trimmings	2,69

 

 

GERMANY

 

Market

 

The demand for loins and filets is described to be good and typical for this time of year. Hams however could not always be marketed without difficulties and sales of barbecue products were quite disappointing due to bad weather conditions during the Easter holidays. On the markets for sow meat there is limited supply and the available products are marketed without problem. (Source, AMI)

 

Danish take-over

 

With effect from 4th April 2012, Europe's largest producer of boar semen for artificial insemination, A/S Hatting-KS in Denmark has acquired AI centres NORT GmbH in Lower Saxony and NORT-OST GmbH in Brandenburg. With this takeover A/S Hatting-KS aims to expand and strengthen its position on the German market. A/S Hatting-KS now employs more than 300 staff and keeps a stock of more than 3500 boars. The AI centres NORT GmbH and NORT-OST GmbH will continue business as usual. The available genetics will be extended to include the entire boar stock of A/S Hatting-KS. (Source, ISN)

 

"Farmer's brand"

 

After many years of experience in supplying national and international retailers with own brand products, Böseler Goldschmaus GmbH & Co. KG is now entering the business with branded products. Böseler, ranking 6th among the largest German pig slaughterers is launching its label "Goldschmaus. Die Marke der Bauern" - "The farmer's brand" under which seven different cooked sausage specialties as well as various sausage products will be introduced. A first retailer has already listed the new brand. The meat used for the brand is produced by producer associations comprising of 375 farms in Bösel near Oldenburg and 90 farms in the East Friesland region. Feed stuff is exclusively sourced regionally and products are promoted to be "5D" (5x Germany) to guarantee that the whole production process has taken place in the country. The only production site in the nearby village of Garrel slaughters 30,000 pigs weekly. (Source, Lebensmittel Praxis)

 

Self-sufficiency

 

Pork prices Hamburg Market Week commencing 9 April 2012
Cut name	Price range (Euro/Kg)
Round cut leg	2.15/2.25
Leg (boneless, rindless max fat level 3mm	2.95/3.20
Boneless Shoulder	2.58/2.65
Picnic Shoulder	2.05/2.25
Collar	2.60/2.70
Belly (bone in, ex-breast)	2.35/2.45
Sheet Boned Belly (rindless)	2.00/2.30
Jowl	1.50/1.60
Half Pig Carcasses U class.	2.10/2.20

 

 

SPAIN

 

Pork prices Barcelona Market Week commencing 9 April 2012
Cut Name	Price range (Euro/Kg)
Carcases (secondary grade)	1,703/1,709
Gerona Loin Chops	2,48/2,51
Loin Eye Muscle	3,41/3,44
Spare Ribs	2,88/2,91
Fillets	5,38/5,41
Round Cut Legs	2,42/2,45
Cooked Ham	2,05/2,08
Rindless Picnic Shoulder	1,63/1,66
Belly	2,09/2,12
Smoked Belly with Spare Rib Section Cut off	2,52/2,55
Shoulder chap or Head Jowls	1,18/1,21
Back Fat, Rindless	1,08/1,11

 

 

THE NETHERLANDS

 

Fewer piglets exported

 

During the first six weeks of this year, 5% fewer Dutch piglets were exported than during the same period of time last year. Exports summed up to 676.000 piglets (713.000 in 2011). According to the Dutch business group for livestock and meat (PVV), the most significant reduction was noted for the export trade to Italy, where 50% fewer piglets were sold. Also exports to Belgium decreased strongly while Germany continuously buys good quantities. Exports to the neighbouring country increased by 7.000 to 444.000 piglets. Sales to Germany therefore accounted for 65 % of all Dutch piglets exported (2011: 61%). (Source, topagrar)

 

 

RUSSIA

 

AFS outbreak in Republic of Kalmykia

 

The latest outbreak of ASF in the territory of the Russian Federation was registered in the Tselinnyi region of the Republic of Kalmykia on March 21, 2012. The pigs that tested positive for ASF were brought to the region from Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, but in fact their place of origin was Stavropolskiy Krai. This outbreak casts a shadow on the efficiency of measures taken by the local veterinary departments of Russia. Rosselkhoznadzor ordered its local departments to improve control of accompanying papers for transported pigs. In the meantime Elena Skrynnyk, the Head of the Ministry of Agriculture, recommended four Russian regions to urgently transfer all pig-breeding enterprises to closed mode because of the season of migration for wild animals (including boars) has started, and check stations on the roads do not guarantee safety of pig-breeding farms. Also, in Tver oblast emergency mode was introduced on the territory of Bologovskiy, Vushnevolotskiy, Kalininskiy and Torzhokskiy regions in order to prevent spread of ASF, after an outbreak was registered in Torzhskiy region hunting resorts. (Source, fsvps.ru)

 

A large consignment of pork from Canada is held at St. Petersburg

 

During the inspection of 24 tonnes of frozen pork from Canada, Rosselkhoznadzor inspectors detected that dates of production of the pork indicated on identification tag did not correspond to the dates indicated in the veterinary certificate of exporting country. The consignment is being held at the port in St Petersburg until the State Veterinary Department of Canada provides explanations. The owner of the consignment may be held administratively responsible for this incident. (Source, fsvps.ru)

  

Imported Pork Moscow Market (April 9):	Imported Pork St. Petersburg Market (April 9):
Shoulder (no bone): USD 6.2/kg	Loin: USD 6.5 /kg
Neck (no bone): USD 4.7/kg	Shoulder (no bone): USD 5.5/kg
Liver: USD 3.2/kg (Source, Meatinfo.ru)	Heart: USD 3.0/kg (Source, Meatinfo.ru)

  

 

UKRAINE

 

Pig prices for March

 

Prices for pork in Ukraine continue to rise. According to data provided by the processing enterprises, as of April 3, 2012 the average price of pigs of meat type in March was UAH 21.32/kg (USD 2.65/kg). The average March price for pigs of meat-fat type was UAH 18.75/kg (USD 2.33/kg). According to experts, the prices have reached their peaks. In the immediate future, meat-processing plants will decrease volumes of processing and thus demand will decrease too, which will make prices go down. (Source, PigUa.info)

  

 

USA

 

Reduced use of antibiotics

 

The US Food and Drug Administration announced that it is restricting the use of a number of antibiotics including most cephalosporins in all food-producing animals because of an increasing concern that their heavy overuse is contributing to antibiotic resistance in people. Cephalosporins are commonly used in people to treat respiratory infections and other conditions. Two years ago, FDA had issued preliminary guidelines to farmers aiming to promote the voluntary reduction of antibiotics used. The restrictions will become effective as of Friday 13th April 2012. (Source, ISN, Rodale)

 

 

SWITZERLAND

 

Pig meat the favourite

 

The per capita consumption of meat in Switzerland has increased by 0.2% in 2011 summing up to 53.74 kg. The overall meat consumption has increased by 0.8% to 431.020 tonnes, according to Proviande. With 24,92 kg (-1,7%) per person pig meat was the Swiss's favourite meat followed by poultry (11,43kg, +3,9%) and beef (11,29 kg,+1,2%). The total production of meat increased by 0.9% to 345.132 tonnes. Pig meat production summed up to 190.486 tonnes and equaled 2010 's level. Meat imports rose by 3%, exports increased by 36.4%. Self-sufficiency was 80.1 %. (Source, iq-agrar)

 

 

Source: British Pig Executive
 

US$1 = EUR0.763 (April 17, 2012)