According to AHDB data, the EU spec SPP for the week ending February 14 stood at 188.03 pence/kg (approximately €2.20/kg), down 0.77 pence compared with the previous week. This is 14.79 pence/kg lower than a year earlier and represents the lowest level since June 2022.
In the UK, Defra figures show that 872,000 clean pigs were slaughtered in January 2026 — unchanged from the previous month but 3% lower than in January 2025. Meanwhile, AHDB estimates that slaughter volumes declined to 162,700 head in the latest reporting week after a temporary increase at the beginning of February.
Market analysts report a surplus of pigs both on farms and within the market, prompting some operators to introduce additional kill days to reduce supplies. Additional pressure comes from heavier carcass weights, which averaged 95.28 kg — more than 3 kg higher year-on-year and above 2022 levels.
EU pork prices declined throughout January, although the downward trend slowed toward the end of the month. The EU reference price for the week ending February 8 averaged 126.66 pence/kg (around €1.48/kg), up only 0.11 pence from the previous week but still 28.58 pence below the level recorded a year ago.
The gap between average EU and UK prices remains significant, although it narrowed slightly — from 69.56 pence/kg to 67.73 pence/kg by early February. Despite this, UK pork imports remained subdued, with December volumes falling by 13% compared with the previous month and by 9% year-on-year.
Analysts also continue to monitor the animal health situation in Europe. In Spain, new cases of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar continue to be reported outside the original containment zone. As of February 18, authorities confirmed 31 outbreaks and 162 positive cases across seven municipalities. Additional movement restrictions have been introduced, the high-risk zone has been expanded, and surveillance intensified. Importantly, the virus has not been detected on pig farms so far.
Experts note that further market developments will largely depend on the evolution of the disease situation and potential changes in international trade conditions, making these factors ключові for ongoing monitoring in the coming months.
PigUA.info based on AHDB materials