Pig producers seek support for survival plan as rules stiffen and costs rise
IFA Pigs Committee chairman Pat O'Keeffe said the first quarter of 2003 will play a major role in determining pig supplies going forward. He warned that many producers who received a yearly average of 1.28/kg for pigs in 2002 do not have the stomach or resources to continue the survival battle against a background of stiffer regulation and higher costs. "Pig producers will be looking for support from all the relevant participants in the industry to plot a survival path for a sector where producer returns are well below the cost of production," he said.
Mr O'Keeffe said the Department of Agriculture must lift its proposed restriction on the availability of veterinary inspectors or provide an alternative cover to ensure all pigs can be slaughtered to avoid welfare and meat quality issues arising. Primary processors must pay the maximum possible from the market place and a strong price relative to the EU average price.
