Independent TD, Danny Healy-Rae, has, once again, urged the government to help the pig industry through the “prolonged” crisis it is experiencing at present.
The Kerry-based representative made the appeal in Dáil Éireann earlier today (Thursday, March 31st,2021) following Minister McConalogue’s meeting with pig farmers yesterday.
Healy-Rae told the chamber that there are 8,000 jobs in the pig industry.
He then went on the highlight the losses that producers are currently experiencing, along with feed price hikes.
“They are currently losing between €40 and €50 per pig. Feed has gone up from €270 a tonne to €430 a tonne, and they have been told it [feed] is going up a further €70 a tonne next week.”
He said there are pig farmers all over Kerry, at Killorglin, Causeway, McAuliffe’s and Knocknagoshel.
“We have the Roughty Valley pig operation on our own road, the Bog Road in Kilgarvan, which was set up in 1972. It has been run successfully by Christy Hussey and has been environmentally friendly for many years.”
“This is on our own road, where my own father and I were born and reared. It would hurt us deeply. I will say one thing.”
“If the government cannot or will not help them, please tell them right away and do not keep them hanging on because they are losing massive sums of money daily,” he concluded.
Calls for 30c/p pig price rise
Meanwhile, the IFA has called on processors to deliver a “very significant” price increase for pig farmers tomorrow (Friday, April 1st, 2022).
Its national pigs committee chair, Roy Gallie, said pig farmers have been “haemorrhaging” money since September 2021, and losses have risen to €40/ pig.
Since the introduction of the IFA’s DNA scheme, the Irish pig price has been at the European average.
“We are currently 30c/kg below it. Farmers need an immediate price increase given the very serious crisis in the sector.”
“Cashflows now are unsustainable. This is an extremely urgent situation,” he added.
Gallie has called on processors to announce a 30c/kg rise tomorrow to restore the Irish pig market to the European average level.
