Pig production to fall by 5.9% this year

Ireland: There is a crisis of confidence in the Irish pig sector with production predicted to fall this year by 5.9% over last year, which represents a 10% drop compared to 2002, the IFA claimed yesterday.

It said that this year will see Irish slaughter pig numbers fall to just over three million, the largest in the EU 15, where production overall is forecast to drop by just 0.8%.

Other countries showing significant supply drops are Holland -4.4%, Britain -2.5%, Belgium -3.6% and Spain -1.8%.