Pig slump returns with a vengeance


By Vicky Houchin


MEAT processors are once again slashing the price they pay farmers for pigs, following the lead of the Unigate-owned Malton bacon factory.

Malton, one of the countrys biggest pig buyers, dropped its deadweight price to farmers by 3p/kg last Friday (30 July).

Other companies are now following suit and reducing their prices in line with the company, which has a 25-30% share of the deadweight pig market.

Dalehead Foods dropped its deadweight price to farmers yesterday by 2p/kg.

Now Glanbia and Cranswick Country Foods have confirmed they, too, have cut their prices in a week which could see deadweight values slump further.

Martin OKane, Glanbias managing director, said his company had dropped its price by 3.5p/kg on the back of increased pigmeat imports and seasonal trends.

Mr OKane declined to say what price his company was now paying for pigs but acknowledged that the sector was experiencing a “re-alignment of prices”.

Cranswick Country Foods has taken 2p/kg off the price it pays farmers under a number of contracts, confirmed Adam Couch, the companys operations director.

August was always a poor month, said Mr Couch, who also blamed imports of cheap pork for the latest decline.

Imports of Danish legs of pork with the bone were entering the country at 46p/lb (101p/kg) – much cheaper than the UK equivalent of 66-70p/lb (145-154p/kg) he said.

Although UK prices have recently fallen to 60-65p/lb (132-143p/kg), values might have to come down further before picking up again in about six weeks time, said Mr Couch.

Pig prices had shown signs of a partial recovery over the past few months, but many producers were worried that values had recently stagnated.

Ian Campbell of the British Pig Industry Support Group (BPISG) described this weeks drop as financially serious and psychologically hugely damaging.

“This may be the straw thats broken the camels back,” he said. “It is impossible to overstate how serious the situation is for producers now.”

Many pig producers, who were already fighting to survive following months of losses, will see no reason for the latest price drop.

“But theres also despair from the people who are at rock bottom and have no where to turn,” said Mr Campbell.

The BPISG met with a number of producers and marketing groups last night to “chew over” the implications of this weeks developments.

A number of plans were hatched at the meeting, but Mr Campbell said it would be difficult for farmers to act without the collective agreement of all pig producers.


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