On Thursday, the national average base hog price dropped to $82.70, down $2.10 from the previous day. Lean hog contracts showed mixed activity, with prices fluctuating between 57 cents lower to 22 cents higher. The CME Lean Hog Index reported at $85.78, reflecting a slight increase of 5 cents from the prior day.
Pork export sales reached a three-week high of 44,838 metric tons for the week ending October 24, with Mexico acquiring the largest share of 17,700 metric tons, followed by China with 10,400 metric tons. Export shipments totaled 32,268 metric tons, slightly above the previous week, with notable shipments of 11,400 metric tons to Mexico and 4,100 metric tons to Japan.
The USDA’s FOB plant pork cutout value rose by $1.54 to $103.15 per cwt, with all primals showing an increase led by the picnic, which was up $3.95. The estimated hog slaughter for Thursday was 486,000 head, bringing the week-to-date total to 1.950 million head, which is 2,000 head below the previous week but 25,453 head higher than the same week last year.
