Ireland, however, remains low on the list of countries in Europe which has sold pigmeat into storage. The volume of product sold by Ireland into storage has risen from 140t two weeks ago to almost 1,400t as of 21 January.

Aid to private storage for the sector was opened at the start of January to offer support for the market and a sluggish export market.

In total, European countries have sold a total of 89,841t of pigmeat into private storage. Germany has contributed the most volume of product since 4 January. Germany has put 26,137t of pigmeat into storage, Spain has put in 19,303t, Denmark 11,676t, Netherlands 10,779t, Poland 5,928t, Italy 5,758t, France 2,344t, Ireland 1,392t and Belgium 1,095t.

As the Irish Farmers Journal reported earlier this month, the majority of the product continues to be boned legs. According to Agra Facts and DG Agri, over half (53.6%) of all product sold into storage was boned legs. Fats and hams make up the next two biggest portions of products sold into storage.

Aid to private storage provides EU funding to help cover the costs of storing certain pigmeat products for periods of three to five months.

Many processors from the different countries are selling product into private storage with contracts agreed to sell the product when it comes out of storage.

Read more

Read the IFA pig league from this week's Irish Farmers Journal.