Rising UK pig prices show "absolutely no sign of slowing down", said an industry group - bringing welcome relief to struggling East Anglian pig farmers.
Last month, analysts said pig farmers were losing an average of £17 for every animal in the fourth quarter of 2022 - continuing two years of financial losses caused by crippling feed, energy and fuel bills.
But while costs have since fallen, the National Pig Association (NPA) says the standard pig price (SPP) has now reached a previously "unimaginable" 209.75p/kg during the week ending March 4, having gained 9.5p in just eight weeks.
READ MORE: Pig farmers demand fairer contracts to avert industry 'collapse'
An NPA blog says this record high is nearly 72p higher than a year ago.
"The UK pig price shows absolutely no sign of slowing down, as it continues to be driven higher by a combination of ever-tighter domestic supplies and record prices across the EU," it says.
"Combined with lower input costs, many producers are now starting to return a profit on pig production, although there is, of course, still a very long way to go to claw back the losses of the past two years."
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