Europe
The price of European beef and veal is at historically high levels in the week to Thursday February 13, while a combination of factors, including generational changes in the agricultural sector, some cases of “blue tongue” disease and EU policies, continue to limit the number of animals being slaughtered.

As a result, the availability of items on the market has remained low over the past two weeks. Market participants report that some deliveries originally scheduled for the end of January had to be postponed, along with discussions for potential new business.

This situation has negatively impacted the overall activity in the European hide market, with the number of closed trades falling below seasonal averages. Prices for the most in-demand European weight ranges and selections have remained unchanged, which is not surprising given the low market activity.

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