Ulster farming leaders have voiced their concerns that the early ending of the European Commission’s Private Storage Aid (PSA) scheme for pigmeat could contribute to the whole process developing into a “temporary fix” that could make things worse later in the year.
Commenting on the Commission’s PSA suspension decision, Ulster Farmers’ Union deputy president, Ivor Ferguson, said that while European prices have stabilized slightly in recent weeks, prices in Northern Ireland (NI) have continued to fall.
“Since the beginning of the scheme, the average price paid to NI pig producers has fallen from 111 pence a kilo to 106 pence a kilo and we are concerned by what will happen to prices now this scheme has been suspended,” said Mr Ferguson (pictured above).
“Additionally, whilst removing this amount of pigmeat from the market (90,000 tonnes) has stabilised European prices for now, it is important that this does not end up as a temporary fix that serves to make things worse when the pork currently in store comes back onto the market during the summer.”