October 1, 2008
Pig prices rise in France but expected to taper off soon
French pig producers are finally starting to see finished pig prices catch up with production costs, according to the French national agricultural statistics agency Agreste.
However, they have yet to regain the lost ground from the past year when prices failed to cover costs.
Producers now face the prospect of the usual year-end tailing off in prices, which are expected to last until early next year.
Finished pig numbers for August topped 2 million head, bringing the calendar year-to-date total to 16.3 million. Having drastically cut sow numbers at the end of last summer, this August's breeding stock cull total of 33,890 head was just over 10 percent down year-on-year.
Pork exports have improved as July's monthly total of 59,000 tonnes was 16 percent higher on-year. Most of the shipments were headed for Russia, Denmark and Belgium.
Pork consumption in France dropped to around 150,000 tonnes (total carcass equivalent) in July, which is significantly lower than 2006 or 2007.