Pork slaughters up 12% in Q3 of 2019

PORK slaughters increased by 12% from the third quarter (Q3) in 2018 to 810 007 pigs in Q3 of 2019, the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy’s Perspectives on Agriculture’s Performance report showed.

It found average pork prices where uncharacteristically high in Q3 2019 – 12% higher than in Q3 of 2018.

The high prices, it found, were supported by strong world prices resulting from African swine fever.

“Poultry production for Q3 has not been published yet. However, average chicken prices increased by 5% from Q3, 2018 to Q3, 2019.

“A 2% year-on-year decline in beef prices drove a decline in gross production value, despite slaughter numbers increasing slightly,” it found.

The gross value of production (GVP) from field crops declined by 2% relative to Q3, 2018.

Maize was the biggest contributor towards the decline, with a 19% decrease.

“Despite maize price increasing by 28% from Q3, 2018 to Q3, 2019, the decline in volumes delivered in Q3, 2019 was enough to offset the price increase.

“The GPV from horticulture increased by 6% since Q3, 2018, with subtropical fruit (+35%) and vegetables (+12%) contributing the largest share of the increase.

“For the export-led demand of subtropical fruit, the depreciating exchange rate could’ve had an advantageous impact on gross value of production. Despite total agricultural GPV increasing by 2% in Q3, 2019, after taking costs into consideration, this positive growth becomes -8.9%.

“The horticultural sub-sector was the largest contributor towards growth in GPV and production costs. This is specifically true for vegetables – where major cost components include electricity, labour and transport,” the report stated.