Reducing killings at pork factories is a concern ahead of Christmas

The state of the market is now more about movement of volume rather than price, according to Thames Valley Cambac. Alongside the partial closure of Cranswick’s Watton site due to COVID-19, there are a growing number of reduced kills at other plants. At a time of year when we would be looking to move extra pigs, this is a real concern, TVC said in its latest market update. “The actual trade is reported as relatively buoyant with retail up and the demand from China continues to be good,” it said. However, with plants losing staff to COVID-19, some facilities are having to ‘self-suspend from exporting to China’. “Food service remains lacklustre with increasing amounts of regional lock-downs which as of later this week will become national. However there has been an increasing amount of pressure from imported supplies as the European scene worsens due to the restriction on German product not having access to China,” TVC added. European price quotes in sterling were further compromised ...