Pig producers in Ireland are โstruggling to keep their heads above waterโ according the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).
โPig producers are shocked and disgusted that pig prices have fallen by an unprecedented 16c/kg in five weeks,โ said IFA pigs committee chairman, Pat OโFlaherty. โThe average pig price this year is ย1.63/kg, so 16c/kg is a fall of almost 10%. This is an unwarranted and unexplained drop in prices that producers cannot affordโ.
Pointing out that the pig industry always runs on extremely tight margins, Mr OโFlaherty, added that as little as 4c/kg can be the difference between profitability and โfalling into the redโ.
โA drop of this magnitude over such a short period of time is impossible to cover and farmers are now back in familiar territory, struggling to keep their heads above water,โ he said.
IFA also said that the poor situation on farms is being โexacerbatedโ by feed prices which should have fallen by at least ย30/tonne this year but which have so far fallen by only ย10/tonne.
โFarmers across the country are querying why such a rapid and huge fall in pig prices has occurred,โ said Mr OโFlaherty. โExports have been very positive this year with both value and volume rising, retail value is also up with bacon and sausages performing very well this year. Farmers need answers and these must be provided by factories immediately.โ