Pig farmers under price pressure

SOARING feed costs and other factors are putting at risk the country’s pig processing industry, which has a farm gate value of €321 million and is worth €223m in exports, it was claimed yesterday.

IFA pigs committee vice-chairman Tim Cullinan said the recent fire in Glanbia’s pig processing plant at Edenderry, Co Offaly, is a further major blow when the economic climate for producing pigs is rock bottom.

Pig farmers are losing €2 to €3 per pig in recent weeks and the situation is deteriorating further with each increase in feed cost.