It was difficult to foresee what was going to happen with the prices, and in fact it has been. How could it be otherwise, when China coughs, the EU catches a cold. At this moment in Spain, and in general in the EU, we are facing a situation that is at least different.

Six weeks ago, there was less weight than years ago, the price was holding despite higher supply than demand, because the industry had not had competitive prices for export.

At this moment the scenario has changed radically. The price in just three weeks has gone up more than 20 percent. At this time is 1,360 €/ kg live weight, more than 30 percent that began this year, January debuted with 1,038 €/ kg.

The demand has skyrocketed, and prices have so far been passed on to meat. But, just as before, those who saw the most benefits were the industries that exported, at this time this has changed. The industrialists dedicated to domestic trade had to enter this war in the face of the doubt of running out of raw material for their market. The weights existing at this time show the difference, we are at 110.24 kg compared to the 114.15 kg of the same week last year (85.79 kg carcass weight compared to 87.57 kg in 2018).

The industry has supported the price increase for export, but what is not very clear is how it will be able to pass this to the domestic market. If consumers and large distributors are going to accept or not the rise in prices.

Easter and the celebration of 1 May will help to lose days of slaughter and can recover weight which helps the producer and the industry, the first to have more profitability and the second because the export is demanding higher weights.

Interporc prepares the launching of the technical regulation of animal welfare and biosafety, Interporc Animal Welfare Spain (IAWS).

This regulation is an initiative taken by Interporc (the Interprofessional of Spanish white pigs), as a support to the work carried out by each and every one of the links of the Spanish pig sector chain. Reinforcing the commitment of farmers, packing plant and industry to animal welfare and responding to the needs of the sector, the large distribution and consumers.

The document ensures compliance with the five principles of animal welfare established by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE): animals free of hunger, thirst and malnutrition; free of fear and anguish; free from physical or thermal discomforts; free of pain, injury or illness; and free to express their own patterns of behaviour.

All this must be fulfilled in each and every one of the control areas established in said regulation: feeding, cleaning-disinfection, housing, health, behaviour, management, control of farms and animals, and control in the slaughterhouse.

The regulation has been developed in collaboration with companies in the sector, certification, administration, scientists and experts in animal welfare; it is endorsed by a high-level scientific committee; and it has been tested and validated by organisations for the protection and defence of animals. Therefore, it has all the technical guarantees and the necessary consensus among the agents involved in animal welfare.

All this will be guaranteed by the "Seal of certification Injterporc Animal Welfare Spain”.

In order to obtain the IAWS seal, the farms and agents of the sector have to comply with a regulation that includes, in addition to the legal requirements of the community and national regulations, other more demanding ones that suppose an additional bonus in matters related to animal health, biosecurity, animal housing, food safety, traceability and the environment.

This IAWS seal will help the consumer to recognise a product that has been produced with maximum guarantees in terms of animal welfare and food safety, and so, transmitting the commitment of the Spanish sector to quality.

In the year 2001, the European Union approved the most demanding regulations in the world for pig protection and Spain was the first European country to fulfil it thanks to the enormous effort made by the sector in adapting the farms.

With this initiative, the intention is to continue at the head working to overcome and to satisfy the demands of consumers, who seek, with increasing commitment, products that guarantee not only quality and food safety, but also the health of animals, sustainability and compliance with the conditions of protection and welfare of animals intended for food production.