The average EU weaner price now stands at over €41 per head, for week ending 5 June, which is almost €6 a head more than levels at the beginning of the year.

Between March and May, the price fluctuated very modestly, but it has begun to firm again slightly during May, and is now €0.65 higher than the same period a year earlier.

The expected spring flourish on prices seemed to happen earlier this year and then levelled off, suggesting that the confidence in the recovery of the finished pig price is still fragile.

However, the recent upturn in weaner prices infers that this confidence may be beginning to strengthen, compounded by the €20/100kg increase in the EU average pig price since the beginning of the year.

Most leading producing states recorded stability in their weaner prices between March and May. Rises in the average weaner price at the end of May in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium helped to increase the EU average price moving into June. Other member states have had largely static weaner prices up to the beginning of June, which has also provided some overall support to the EU average price.