UK pig meat production increased in August by 1,700 tonnes (2.1%) compared with the same month the previous year to total 84,500 tonnes, according to latest figures from Defra.
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said that there was also an uplift in pig meat volumes from July, with an additional 4,000 tonnes (4.9%).
Carcase weights continued their downward trend seen since late last year, with the average weight of clean pig dressed carcases reduced to 87.5kg. AHDB added that this marks an easing of 0.5kg on weights seen in July, and only 0.3kg above weights seen this time last year.
However, clean pig slaughter increased to 932,100 head which is up by 3,300 (0.4%) in comparison to August 2021, and 49,400 head (5.6%) higher than July’s throughput.
Remaining steady
Total pig meat production for the year so far (January- August) has totalled 703,100 tonnes, which is 24,200 tonnes (3.6%) more than the same period last year. AHDB said that this increase will be due to heavier carcases as, when compared with January-August 2021, the total slaughter has “remained steady.”
Commenting about the temporary halting of production of ammonia at the CF Industries’ Billingham site, AHDB said that the announcement made in late August “cast uncertainty over future production capacity in the pork sector” and that this “will have a knock-on impact on the availability of CO2 domestically.”
AHDB added that it anticipates that the second half of the year will see a reduction in availability of market ready supplies of clean pigs, due to a reduced sow herd.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
