News summary: By end last month, pork prices in France peaked through a February-to-March increase of EUR .21/kg as a result of lesser supplies due to a decreasing pig population in the European nation. 

As a result of the contraction of the pig herd and a reduced supply, pork prices reached highs in March 2023.

In March 2023, the average price of French pork continues to soar and increased by 21 euro cents per kg over a month, after + 20 cents in February. This is what Agreste, the statistics department of the Ministry of Agriculture, reports in an information note of April 25, 2023.

At €2.46/kg for carcasses in class S slaughterhouses, it reaches an unprecedented level, up 52.8% over one year and 60% compared to the five-year average. This is explained by the decline in pig production that accelerated in the first quarter of 2023, as a result of the contraction of the sow herd in France since the second half of 2022.

Porcine meat imports are increasing

“In this context, pig slaughters are down 7.4% in head compared to March 2022,” says Agreste. Thus, imports of pork meat and fat increased by 3.9% between February 2022 and February 2023 and by 8.2% compared to the 2018-2022 average. Volumes are increasing especially from Spain.

Conversely, meat exports fell by 11.6% year-on-year (after -10.9% in January), especially to the European Union, the Philippines and China. Compared to the last five years, they are down 11.7%.

At the same time, the price of food remains significantly higher than last year’s (+19.5%), and the average of 2018-2022 (+43.0%). “Stable since July 2022, a slight relaxation is to be noted compared to the previous month (-1.1%),” adds Agreste. For its part, pork consumption fell in February, by 1.4% over one year.

Source: Lafranceagricole.fr