IFA president, Tim Cullinan, has called on all retailers to ensure they are selling Bord Bia quality-assured Irish pigmeat.
The farm leader said a “substantial” price increase from retailers needs to be passed back through processors to farmers immediately to cover the “massive” increase in feed costs.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 24th, 2021, the farm leader said:
“Farmers are concerned about increased costs of production over the past 12 months and the volume of imported pigmeat on shelves across the country.”
“In the lead up to Christmas, it is essential that quality-assured hams are available. Retailers cannot be discounting ham at the time of year when the demand is highest among consumers.”
IFA pig committee chairman, Roy Gallie, said that pig farmers have had a “very” challenging year, with rising feed costs and reductions in pig prices.
“Some farmers are reporting a net loss of €45/kg per pig, which is completely unsustainable”.
He said pig farmers, who are home millers of feed and exposed to current markets, are reporting cost increases of over €90/t on this month last year.
“This is a feed cost increase of 30c/Kg deadweight alone, but all other major costs are increasing considerably too – electricity, gas & oil, labour and transport.”
“Huge losses are being taken on farms, with little respite in sight for producers.”
“Farming is a business activity. Pig farmers will not stay in operation unless they can make a profit.”
The farm group called on consumers to buy Bord Bia Irish produce in weekly shops and support Irish farmers.
Pig farmers facing ‘significant’ cash flow pressures
Pig producers are in the middle of a “perfect” storm of weaker global demand, price pressure and now an inability to move stock off-farm in a timely way.
That is according to the Ulster Farmers’ Union, which has called for the DAERA to address pig sector pressures.
It said reduced labour availability in local pig processing plants has been hitting NI pig producers for some time. As a result, it is now causing “huge” financial pressure on farms.
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