Consumers are willing to pay more to secure the future of the British pig industry, a YouGov survey published today, reveals.

Of those polled, 78% said that they would be prepared to pay a few pence extra to cover rising production costs and support British farmers.

Carried out on behalf of the British Pig Executive and following the launch of a campaign to persuade supermarkets to increase prices, the survey shows that 42% of consumers polled would be willing to pay up to 10% more, while 36% would be happy to pay an extra 5%.

Without an increase, farmers stand to lose close to £200m in the next year, say BPEX.

The survey also highlighted only 9% of people agreed that farmers were paid a fair by retailers, with 91% agreeing it is important to retain a strong agricultural sector in the UK.

Commenting on the results of the survey chairman of BPEX and the National Pig Association Stewart Houston said: “We are asking for modest increases of a few pence on pork products. The survey results show that many, many consumers will be happy to pay this.”

“If passed on to farmers this will help to safeguard the British pig industry.”

TV chef, Antony Worrall Thomson is also involved in the campaign. “People really do care about the food they eat and the people who produce it.

“They want farmers to be paid a fair price and are prepared to contribute a few pence more to protect the future of British agriculture.”

To encourage consumers to register their support, a website and online petition were also launched last week, click here to visit the site.