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Members Update – 19th June 2026

Posted on by Bruce

Quality Meat Scotland – Pig Sector Market Update
Golf Outing – Entries close soon
Clay Pigeon Shooting – 26th August
Women In Meat Industry Awards
Newsletter Story

Members Update 19th June 2026

Quality Meat Scotland – Pig Sector Market Update

Please find attached our latest market update for the pig sector. A summary of the key points is below:

 

Pig market:

  1. GB per kilo pig prices finally showed signs of steadying in May, around two to three months later than the traditional end to the seasonal price declines.
  2. However, falling carcase weights meant that carcase value continued to decline.
  3. While beginning to stabilise, the GB Standard Pig Price (SPP) remains below AHDB’s cost of production estimate, with margins moving into negative territory in Q1 2026 and likely to have deteriorated significantly in Q2 given the further reduction in prices and higher costs from wage pressures and impacts from the escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Industry data suggests that prices paid to Scottish producers have been around 10% below the SPP, highlighting the additional pressure on finances in Scotland.
  4. A sharp reduction in weights combined with an increased share of standard carcases within the 70-104.9kg weight range signals that the backlog which had built up in autumn 2025 and remained over the winter and into spring has finally started to reduce.
  5. In Scotland, a sharp upturn in the number of pigs leaving farms for slaughter destinations also signals a reduction in the backlog, while abattoir slaughter has jumped higher after a weak end to 2025 and start to 2026, signalling some improvement in end market demand and/or support to the sector with the pork then sold at low prices.
  6. While market conditions appear to have improved, pricing levels remain well below the cost of production and producer finances are under considerable pressure. Sow slaughter has increased 45% from 2025 at Scottish abattoirs, with longer-term implications for supplies.
  7. Externally, the EU market remains under pressure from increased pig availability and highly competitive EU pork continues to influence the depressed market conditions in the UK, with GB prices 28% higher than EU pig prices at the start of June.
  8. UK processors are finding additional export opportunities overseas, but average prices for sales to EU customers were down significantly year-on-year in the first third of 2026. However, increased sales to non-EU markets did come at slightly higher price levels compared to early-2025.
  9. A steadying of pig prices in May combined with a reduction in carcase weights and improvement in the share of in-spec carcases suggests that market conditions could start to resemble a more normal seasonal pattern, albeit from a much lower base.
  10. However, market prospects continue to face headwinds such as slightly increased pig numbers and the long-term upwards trend in weights, plus the external shock from low EU pricing, with the latter likely to continue given adequate supplies. In addition, the global market is well-supplied, limiting opportunities to achieve significant price increases in trade with non-EU markets.
  11. For Scottish producers, financial prospects continue to look bleak in the short-term, given rising input costs and farmgate prices well below breakeven levels.
  12. QMS is working closely with members of the Scottish pig sector and the Scottish Government to discuss the significant pressures currently being faced by the Scottish pig market, including a meeting in Parliament on 10 June with the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, Gillian Martin. Alongside our partners, we look forward to continuing these priority engagements to tackle this issue head on and support availability of local pork now and in the future.

 

Economic development:

  1. In 2024 and 2025, geopolitical challenges had surprisingly limited impact on energy prices, but the US-Iran conflict has reduced oil and gas supplies, pushing up energy, fuel and fertiliser prices, which will filter out across the economy as markets adjust, affecting businesses production costs and household finances. Some by-products, such as fats, may receive a boost from higher oil prices.
  2. Generally positive global crop prospects have ensured that grain and oilseeds prices remain relatively soft compared to recent years. Increased biofuels demand has added to the upwards pressure from the demand-side and concerns around drought in the US did push up prices in the spring, although crop reports are now suggesting little impact from the dry weather and prices have dipped back again.
  3. A weaker sterling against the euro than last year has provided little offsetting support to the downwards pressure on the GB pig market from low EU pig prices and a relatively firm sterling against the US dollar is likely to be limiting returns from non-EU markets.
  4. Spending on red meat continued to grow significantly into the spring, although increased consumer prices resulted in reduced sales volumes, mainly driven by the elevated cost of beef. Poultry appears to have benefited most from substitution, but some cuts of lamb and pork may have received a boost due to elevated beef prices, and the pork retail figures looked brighter in the 12 weeks to mid-May.
  1. A mixed economic picture remains, but with stronger downside risks. Sluggish private sector activity has continued and retail sales continue to show year-on-year increases but the labour market is softer, and this may begin to impact household spending power as inflation rebounds in the coming months. Consumer and business confidence has fallen due to the conflict in the Middle East with concerns around the inflationary impact.

QMS Pig Market Update Q2 2026 – final

Golf Outing – Entries close soon
This year’s golf event at Glasgow Golf Club, Glasgow Gailes Links, Irvine on 5th August. Entry Form attached

Clay Pigeon Shooting – 26th August

9:15am Arrival, bacon or link sausage rolls for breakfast, tea & coffees

10:00am Meet Instructors and separated into groups

               Begin 25 bird practice

11:00am Begin 25 bird competition

12:30pm Back to the club house for beef / chicken burgers for lunch

  £90pp for 50 clays, cartridges, instruction, breakfast & lunch and prizes.

Bisley at Braidwood, Braidwood, Midlem, Selkirk, TD7 4QD

Please book your places by email [email protected] or Tel: 01738 637472

Women In Meat Industry Awards
The annual Women In Meat Industry Awards is the biggest and most important initiative that recognises the significant and growing contribution that women make across the meat sector. All winners will be revealed at a 5-star ceremony and dinner later this year, which once again is taking pride of place at the prestigious Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on Friday evening 20th November.

Olympic gold medallist Sally Gunnel will host the much-anticipated event, which is expected to be another sellout occasion.

Nomination deadline
The online nomination process is open until Friday 26th June. After this initial deadline the selected finalists will go through to the online voting stage of the awards.
Editor of Meat Management magazine Gwen Mostyn commented: “The annual Women In Meat Industry Awards is a highlight in the industry calendar and is exclusively driven by company or individual nominations and votes, which subsequently highlight those people who really make a difference.

“The 2026 campaign is now underway, meaning that readers of Meat Management magazine and the Food Management Today website, plus those from the wider industry, can nominate candidates in a range of categories.
“You might nominate one person or several in different categories, however, the main thing is to get those names put forward without delay.”

Categories for 2026 are as follows:
Meat Businesswoman Award – Foodservice (catering butchery sector)
Meat Businesswoman Award – Manufacturing / Processing
Meat Businesswoman Award – Craft Butchery
Meat Businesswoman Award – Poultry
Meat Businesswoman Award – Trade Body
Meat Businesswoman Award – Wholesaling
Meat Businesswoman Award – Livestock Procurement & Sustainability
Meat Businesswoman Award – Multiple Retailing
Meat Businesswoman Award – Independent Retailing
Meat Businesswoman Award – Industry Supplier
Meat Businesswoman Award – Training & Education
The Rising Star Award
Meat Businesswoman of the Year Award

If you have a colleague, manager, supplier, chief executive, butcher, trade body colleague or if you know anyone you’d like to see acknowledged for their contribution, then nominate them now online.

Click here to nominate

Newsletter Story

 We’re always keen to share the stories behind our members’ businesses, and we’d love to hear from you. If you have an interesting experience, recent success, unique challenge, or anything newsworthy that’s happened in your business, please do get in touch. Whether it’s a short story or a more detailed article, your contribution could be featured and shared with others. While we may not be able to publish every submission, it would be great to hear from you.

   If you have any questions, please contact:

 

MEMBER SERVICES – Bruce McCall:                           [email protected]                01738 637472

CRAFT SKILLS SCOTLAND – Claire Simpson:             [email protected]                          01738 637785