Weekly pig prices have fallen sharply, according to the latest figures, with the SPP now nearly 10 pence below where it was a year ago.
The EU-spec SPP fell in the latest week ending 2 October 2021, by 4.75 pence to 148.82 pence per kilogram.
The SPP reflects the price of all standard pigs bought by GB processors in the previous 7-day week and is a simple average of all the prices paid in that week alone.
Analysing the figures, the AHDB said it was likely that the SPP was influenced by some particularly low prices paid by abattoirs for batches of pigs outside contracts, as the market finds an outlet for some pigs killed with only minimal butchery.
This could be the case for several weeks to come, the organisation added, depending on how long there was a backlog of pigs on farms.
Duncan Wyatt, AHDB lead analyst for red meat said: "The EU market is oversupplied, and falling pig prices there will also be having an influence on the price of all British pigs."
Slaughter at GB abattoirs was estimated to be 194,700 head during the week, 7.5% higher than the week before and 11% above the same week a year ago, making it the third-highest weekly kill of the year.
"Carcase weights averaged 90.93kg, 700g heavier than even last week, and more than 4kg heavier than the same week a year ago," Mr Wyatt said.
In the week ending 25 September, the EU-spec APP fell by 0.89p from the week before, averaging 158.95p/kg.
This measure is now 4.33p lower than the same week a year ago. The gap between the APP and SPP narrowed to 5.38p.
