Aid for Irish pig men after Malton fire
15 December 1999
Aid for Irish pig men after Malton fire
By FWi staff
PIG producers in the border regions of the Irish Republic are set to receive IR£1 million (£GB£790,000) in emergency aid backed by the European Union.
The aid is compensation for lost sales after a fire last year at the Malton Bacon plant in neighbouring Northern Ireland.
Payments will begin in the New Year after clearance from Brussels. It will take the form of debt restructuring and interest rate subsidies administered by banks.
The Irish Farmers Association, which estimates the losses due to the fire at almost IR£5m, said the deal was welcome but insufficient in the long term.
“Farmers in the border region need a viable factory outlet to handle the available pig supply and avoid dependence on exports,” said pig chairman Liam Ryan.