Belgium demands help for pig farmers

17 May 1999

Belgium demands help for pig farmers

By FWi staff

BELGIUM has called for additional support measures to prevent the closure of small and medium-sized pig farms under threat from the crisis within the industry.

Belgian government officials were due to submit a report calling for extra help at a meeting of European Union (EU) agriculture ministers in Brussels today.

The document calls for additional support for pigmeat exports to outside the EU and a temporary relaxation of the rules restricting national aid to pig farmers.

An oversupply of pigmeat in Europe over the past year has seen prices plummet with many farmers, including producers in the UK, going out of business.