Widespread concern was expressed by all the countries represented at the 61st Annual General Assembly of CLITRAVI in Salzburg earlier this week.
Due to the sharp increase in Chinese demand in pig meat, the global price for pigmeat is currently about 30% above the level recorded in early January 2019.
CLITRAVI said it expects this situation to continue for the foreseeable future and believes this will have an impact on other sectors in the meat industry.
The raw material cost for the manufacturing industry typically represents around 50% and in some instances 75% of the total production cost.
The trade body stressed how important it was that the entire supply chain understands that the pig meat price increase is not a temporary situation. CLITRAVI and its members will be meeting with other parts of the supply chain and the authorities to highlight the challenge and the concerns.
Outgoing CLITRAVI president Robert Volut said “There was huge consternation expressed at the meeting, this situation potentially threatens businesses, jobs and livelihoods across the European industry”.
This rise in pig meat prices across the EU was backed up by AHDB Pork. It reported that pig prices in Spain, in particular, rose by €11 in the four weeks to the end of March, driven increasing slaughter capacity in the country. AHDB Pork added there have been increases in most of the other major producing member states, albeit at a lower rate, and demand for pork exports to China is now “developing rapidly”. AHDB Pork also said that this rise in prices has not extended to the UK.