Whole Hog Brief Issue 182, March 2010

Page 1 of the March 2010 issue reports the results of the USDA's report on the North American herd. The way in which the UK pig breeding herd has responded to a weak exchange rate is shown on page 2.  A  recent report by the FAO and its views on livestock and meat production and per capita conumption of meat proteins is reviewed on page 3.  Page 4 illustrates the momentum being gained by the global pig price cycle as prices move up. On page 5 EU pig prices firm up. Page 6 describes the ongoing restructuring of the Canadian pig herd. In line with the setting for the Winter Olympics the performance of Canadian pork exporters is described as Olympian on page 7. The USA's pork exports are recorded on page 9 as being down nearly 10% in 2009. Page 9 provides more evidence of the trade gap for pigmeat in Australia. The Japanese market for pork falls back again on page 10 - except for Canadian supplies. The South Korean market is down almost 10% in 2009 according to the YTD data on page 10. News in Short on page 11 covers; Austria's pig numbers, the value of Brazilian exports to Russia, the USA/Russia agreement on reopening the market for US pork exports, and the seventh Pan Pacific Pork Expo. Company News covers Tulip's takeover of Nietfeld, Maple leaf Foods' Q4 and full year results for 2009, Dawn Farm Foods' contract to supply Subway in Europe, and Tyson Foods' Q1 fiscal 2010 results and its outlook for the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years. The Global Price Monitor which reports prices for 17 countries is also on the back page.