Current farm business income (FBI) estimates for specialist pig farms, showing a 46% year on year fall for 2015/16, could become even worse by the time the final figures are available, according to AHDB Pork.
Commenting on the latest forecasts from Defra, which show the year’s FBI falling to £26,500 for specialist pig farms, AHDB Pork said that with pig prices falling particularly sharply in recent weeks, the final FBI estimate may end up being lower still.
“This is the largest year on year decrease on record and would represent the lowest FBI for pig farms since 2007/08,” said AHDB Pork.
At that time, of course, animal feed prices were increasing while pig prices were falling, a combination which forced many English pig farmers out of business.
At least this time around, input costs, particularly feed, are expected to decrease during 2016, bringing what AHDB Pork described as “some comfort” in what can only be seen as “hard times for pig producers”.