Stores report good demand for pigmeat

By Peter Crichton

THE MLC reports that he farmgate-to-retail “spread” has shrunk since the start of the year from 270% to 214% for pork, and from 390% to 313% for bacon.

Retailers are signalling good demand for steaks, chops, small legs and shoulders, with special promotion deals stimulating consumer interest.

BPEX manager Mick Sloyan has pledged to continue with the controversial 4.6 million “British is Best” advertising campaign.

The series of adverts are using hard hitting images and messages stressing the welfare and feed safety advantages of UK pork.

Although the campaign has been met with a storm of criticism from importers and some retailers, coupled with the launch of the British Food Standard logo, the signs are that demand for the domestic product will continue to improve.

BPISG supporters are anxiously awaiting judgement following their recent High Court action against the Agriculture Minister for failing to provide the industry with 286m compensation for losses arising out of the BSE crisis.

If they are successful, it remains to be seen how any payments received would be split up within the industry, but the 5.26/pig “BSE Tax” has been an additional financial burden for producers to bear during one of their worst periods of negative returns since the 1920s.

• Peter Crichton is a Suffolk-based pig farmer offering independent valuation and consultancy services to the UK pig industry