August 9, 2005

UK annual pig slaughter down this year

UK annual pig slaughter is now 9.1 million pigs compared with 15.9 million in 1998, according to the country's Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC).

Pig prices have remained at firm levels in many EU countries during the normally volatile summer trading period, due to tight pig supplies there, reports said.

With the fall in pig slaughters, abattoirs have closed in the UK as a result.

However, the MLC predicted higher UK pork output in the second half of this year due to improved sow productivity and heavier carcass weights, which have grown 7.5 kilograms in eight years to 73.7 kilograms.

UK pork exports rose by more than 20 percent from January to April this year, reaching almost 30,000 tonnes with increased demand from new EU member states, reports said.