USA: Pig market overview for the 20th week of 2023

The US Department of Agriculture estimated the weekly slaughter of pigs at 2.408 million HEAD until Saturday, and since the beginning of the year - 49.376 million head. Last year's rate was 48.664 million heads.

The USDA reported U.S. pork EXPORT sales for the week to May 11 at 31,900 tons, up 6% from the previous week but 25% less than the previous four-week average.

The liquidation of sows is a reality. The low price of culled sows indicates a surplus. 300,000 sows are expected to be eliminated in the US. If so, US hog production would fall by about 6 million a year. All this will contribute to higher pig prices in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Last week, the US Supreme COURT ruled that California Prop 12 could continue to apply. Simply put, the law means that sows must be kept in 24 sq. foot so that farmers can get permission to sell fresh pork in California.

The ruling is not a victory for an industry that is facing financial difficulties. One of the problems with Decree 12 is not only the cost of buildings and equipment, but also lower production results due to smaller litter size, farrowing frequency and high mortality of sows. For regulation 12 pigs, premiums are offered to cover increased production costs.

You can learn more about the state of the US pig market, as well as the prices for pigs and pork on the American (and not only) market, in the weekly reviews of the MEAT market in RUSSIA and in the world from Meatinfo.ru.

Weekly reviews are available free of charge as part of a subscription to the monthly analytics of the Russian meat markets.

Average price for pigs

Negotiated price

Price in carcass weight

Price in live weight

National based LM_HG203:

-price range ($)

- weighted average. price

-Change from the day before

-volume of sales

74.00-90.00

80.43

+1.45

5317

 No data

Iowa/Minnesota LM_HG206:

- weighted average. price

87.68 (+0.37)

No data

Western Corn Belt LM_HG212:

- weighted average. price

87.68 (+0.82)

No data

Eastern Corn Belt LM_HG210:

- weighted average. price

No data

No data

WEEKLY WEIGHTED AVERAGE PRICE FOR PIGS

Weekly approximate volume of slaughter of pigs, thousand heads

PORK PRODUCTION