According to industry group Interessengemeinschaft der Schweinehalter Deutschland e.V. (ISN), pig prices have increased for the third consecutive week in the north of the European Union and the fourth week in France and Spain.

Hog prices in Spain, the EU’s second largest supplier, climbed to €1.809 (US$2.36) a kilogram from €1.794 (US$2.27), while in France, the EU’s third biggest pig producer, the price rose to €1.631 (US$2.13) from €1.628 (US$2.12), according to Germany-based ISN company, Damme.

However, while the majority of northern EU countries show an upward trend, German pork prices have gone down by €0.03 (US$0.04) in the last week. Due to weak exports, large stocks and damage caused by the horse meat scandal, many German slaughter companies have used discounted prices to successfully apply pressure on the producer price.

In the EU, pork accounts for approximately half of the region’s meat consumption. Last month, the EU forecasted that the average consumption of pork [in the 27-nation bloc] will fall from 41.15 kilogrammes last year  to 40.26 kilogrammes a person this year, due to high levels of unemployment and the economic downturn.

Pig prices also advanced in the Netherlands and the UK, while the cost of pigs was unchanged form the previous week in Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Austria and Ireland.