Pig farmers warn of slow recovery
27 December 2000
Pig farmers warn of slow recovery
by FWi staff
PIG farmers have warned that their sector may not recover for another year despite a government scheme which pays farmers to quit or restructure the industry.
Ian Campbell, regional manager for the National Pig Association said it had become a critical issue whether the UK pig industry would recover in 2001.
Swine fever in East Anglia devastated pig production during 2000 and attempts to control the disease resulted in the slaughter of about 250,000 animals.
But Mr Campbell warned: Confidence is still at rock bottom and the suspicion is that [pig] numbers will sink further.
Recent media reports reported that many British pigs were infected with salmonella. In contrast, salmonella has all but been eradicated in Denmark
Mr Campbell predicted: “The salmonella issue will be important and the industry will have to cope with the removal of fishmeal from feed.”