Whole Hog Issue 212,September2012

The front page of the September 2012 issue deals with the latest German pig herd census. The census results for the North American herd and the Canadian herd are discussed on pages 2 and 3. Page 4’s analysis of the Global Pig Price Index discusses the latest position for the global pig price cycle – Europe’s prices seem to be holding it up.  Pig prices fly off the charts in the EU as reported on page 5 whilst Canadian exports are weak in some Asian markets on page 6. On page 7 US pork export growth focuses on value not volume. Australia’s pork exports falter but imports falter even more on page 8. Page 9 describes how the Japanese import market is no easy ride for any supplier. The contraction continues in the South Korean import trade on page 10.  News in Short on page 11 includes reports on the bankruptcies at Canada’s Puratone and Big Sky Farms;  the EU’s pig census results for Poland, Hungary and France; an Irish scheme to spot mislabelling of pork products by DNA testing;   Brazil’s declaration that the State of Santa Catarina is FMD free and how this will help exports to Japan; the vsist of a Danish delegation to China; the departure of VION’s CEO; the views of the Dutch PVE about the comp-liance with the EU’s new pig welfare rules; Iowa State University’s latest calculations on how much money hog producers are losing; the fall in antibiotic use in the Danish pig industry; the entry bof Australia’s APL to the National Farmers Federation; Chile’s problems with the Agrosouper pig plant; and Danisco’s latest appointment in Europe. The back page sets out the Short View on pig prices and the Global Price Monitor.