Pig output is continuing its surge in growth, with its value up 35.7% on November 2018, figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

Pork products have increased in value month on month throughout 2019 and the value of pigs has grown by 4.7% between October and November 2019 alone.

African swine fever is the main driver of the demand for pig products in Asia, with pig production in China decimated by the disease. Pig output in China fell to 27m tonnes last year, down from 54m tonnes in 2018.

Beef output is back by 2.3% since November 2018, while an increase for demand in poultry has seen a slight increase of 3% in value since the previous year.

Crops

In contrast, bad weather has contributed to lower potato output with harvests dropping by 35.5% for November, compared with the same period in 2018. Cereals, including seeds, were also back by 20%.

Wool continues to decline in value, with output back by 17.9% since the same period in 2018.

Read more

How have the prices of everyday items changed?

Monday management: time to move bulls on to finishing rations

Grain trends: little movement in markets this week