Chicken farming ‘under threat’

Ireland: The production of quality Irish chicken will become a thing of the past unless margins increase substantially, the IFA warned yesterday.

Poultry Committee Chairman Alan Graham said Irish chicken production at farm level is at the crossroads. Chicken farmers cannot stay in the production business at the current level of margin which ranges from 30c per bird to 38c per bird.

“Production costs including labour and capital repayments run to approximately 40c per bird and this level of margin is needed if the business is to be sustained,” he said.