Pig Ongoers Scheme closes

6 August 2001

Friday (3rd August) marked the closing date for applications to DEFRA under the Pig Ongoers Scheme, which remained open right up to the deadline date, due to a slower than expected uptake.

This compares with the Outgoers Scheme which was heavily over subscribed, especially by hard pressed Northern Ireland breeders.

With the closing date for Outgoers Mark I just four weeks away (31 Aug), some applicants are claiming that they may not have enough time to meet the deadline.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has indicated that they will only extend the closing date where FMD rules have made it impossible to move the applicants stock.

Outgoers Mark II applicants have until 28th December to move their pigs and decommission their premises.

Base rates relief

News of a further % drop in bank base rates will come as a relief to many producers, but the Euro needs to improve in value to help stem the flow of foreign pigmeat imports which continue to undercut the UK market.

The latest Dutch weekly imports alone hit almost 3,300t, equivalent to almost 40,000 UK finished pigs.