15 October 2026
The price of pigs in Portugal fell again, by 0,06€/kg carcass, to 1,92€/kg carcass on the Pig Exchange, in the first half of October. The market continues to fall, at a time when this behavior is usual for the market, even though pig weights remain below what is usual.
In the neighboring country, pig carcass weights also remain low (they are 3,3kg below last year’s weight at this same time), despite weights rising every week, which has also not prevented the quotation from falling. The difficulty in selling meat in the European markets, given the many difficulties in selling Spanish pork to Third Countries, and the competition it faces in the market from cheaper German meat dictate this depressive trend in meat prices and, consequently, in pig prices.
Spanish slaughterhouses are gradually readjusting the price they pay for pigs so they can offer a meat price that is competitive with the price of German meat. After the pig quotation fell by 15 cents 3 weeks ago in Germany, Spanish pork became less competitive and therefore more difficult to sell. Adjusting the meat price is natural and, as always, is done by lowering the purchase price of pigs. This is all the more so when consumers across Europe have less purchasing power and less money available, and meat is surely one of the products they buy less of.
Slaughterhouses do not want to freeze meat because they believe they will be able to get it more cheaply, with future falls in pig prices, and buyers do not want to enter into forward meat deals because they also think they will be able to buy it more cheaply. This forces slaughterhouses to lower prices to sell fresh meat.
Additionally, production costs remain very high (feed and energy), leaving producers with negative margins and very few prospects of an improvement in the pig market in the coming weeks.
Never in Europe, as far as I can remember, has there been such a disparity between the quotations in different countries. Denmark had a quotation below 1,00€/kg carcass, while France had a quotation above 2,00€/kg carcass. What we have seen in recent weeks is a convergence in quotations. Denmark has risen, France has fallen, as have Spain and Portugal, while the other countries have maintained their quotations.
In the other global markets, pig quotations fell in the United States and, finally, rose in Brazil.
As regards the trend in European pig quotations, in Spain the quotation fell by 0,045€/kg LW (0,06€/kg carcass) to 1,27€/kg LW in the first half of October (1,693€/kg carcass). According to information from Mercolérida, carcass weight rose by 1,65Kg in this fortnight and is 3,3Kg below the weight at the same time last year.
In Germany, the quotation remained at 1,45€/kg carcass in the first half of October. Carcass weights rose by 100g to 98,2kg and are 200g below last year's weight. Supply continues to be very abundant in several regions, with the supply build-up resulting from the October 3 holiday persisting. Buyers remain cautious to avoid excessive stocks. Stability is the prevailing trend, but downward pressure in the medium term cannot be ruled out.
In the Netherlands, the quotation remained at 1,21€/kg carcass in the first half of October.
In Belgium, the quotation remained at 1,07€/kg live weight in the first half of October.
In Denmark, the quotation rose by 0,08€/kg carcass to 1,00/kg carcass in the first half of October.
In France, the quotation fell by 0,12€/kg carcass to 1,672€/kg carcass in the first half of October. Weights increased by 900g to 96,8kg and are the same as the weight of 2025. The French Pig Market sessions fell by the maximum permitted at each session, amounting to a weekly total of 6 cents. The supply of pigs has been increasing weekly, as has their weight, and this is causing quotations in France to contract. Although pig availability is lower than last year, slaughterhouse needs are being amply met by growing seasonal supply.
