Other countries follow Denmark's positive price trends this week. The Danish industry saw a 21 cents improvement on pig prices over the last few weeks and this week prices in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria gained between 3 and 5 cents.

The long period of immobility thus seems to have ended. In Germany and Austria, the prices remained unchanged for 12 weeks as if cast in concrete. The Dutch quotation, which traditionally likes to move in the fairway of the German quotation, had already realised a small plus two weeks ago. The Belgian quotation, too, presented a cautious increase in quotation last week.

The seasonally large quantities of live pigs on offer as well as the high slaughter weights have no price-depressing influence this year. Exports of pork in particular towards China are booming. Moreover, the Christmas business is now picking up speed and the slaughter companies’ demand for pigs ready for slaughter can hardly be met.

Unchanged quotations in their corrected versions are reported on from Denmark, France, Spain, and Great Britain. The Danish quotation thus starts to move sideways, as announced, which is expected to continue until mid-December.