The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that cabinet has approved a €15.8 million support package for the pig sector. The Department says that “under the exceptional aid package, pig farmers will be eligible for a maximum payment of €70,000 per undertaking, subject to conditionality.” However the package includes a condition of a “10% decrease in production” for the sector.
Irish Farmers’ Association president, Tim Cullinan has expressed his discontent at the announcement stating, “I absolutely do not support any reduction in production. What we’re trying to do here is hold an industry together and if we have to reduce by 10% we’re going to bring more inefficiency into the system. We’re striving to abate losses at the moment not exacerbate them.”
Cullinan has questioned why production should be decreased as the sector is currently facing a crisis. Referring to the Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM), Cullinan says that difficulties arose as a result of its conditions and adds that the pig sector could end up in a similar situation if this production decrease is enforced.
The IFA president’s sentiments were supported by Meat Industry Ireland’s (MII) chairman Philip Carroll who says that the introduction of a conditional decrease in production would not make sense and could cause the Irish pig industry to be “swallowed up”.
The IFA in conjunction with MII and the Irish Grain and Feed Association (IGFA) recently put forward a proposal of their own for a €100 million support package to restore stability to the sector.