The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has called for government to intervene as pig farmers face a severe income crisis. This comes due to the latest drop in pig prices and the increase in feed costs. According to the IFA a pig farmer with 500 sows loses €10,000 per week. But the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has committed to providing Government support in the form of direct aid for pig farmers.
IFA President Tim Cullinan says if there is no immediate action the pig sector will not survive. He adds that they have put a number of proposals to the Minister and his Government colleagues.
Cullinan says retail regulation is long overdue and a ban on below-cost selling has to be revisited. He adds that the Government can no longer stand by as a food regulator is needed to take on the retailers and re-balance the food chain and that producers have to get a margin to keep them viable.
IFA Pigs Chairman Roy Gallie adds that each stakeholder must work to safeguard the sector from losing more pig producers. Gallie has called the crisis unprecedented and says that everyone’s intervention is needed.
It’s understood that this is the worst pig income crisis in nearly 20 years.
LSL News