Help for pig producers on the way

Tag : Pig Foot

A package of measures to compensate pig producers for some of thelosses they endured in last year’s foot-and-mouth outbreakcould be announced as early as next week.
The Press and Journal understands the Scottish Government is on theverge of agreeing a deal that officials are now saying will berevealed imminently by Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary RichardLochhead.
The package stems from the recommendations of an industry taskforceinstigated in May after Mr Lochhead found himself on the end ofstinging criticism for not doing enough to resolve the pigsector’s foot-and-mouth woes and the government’sstartling admission that it had failed to ask the EuropeanCommission for aid.
The taskforce delivered its report last month. Industry views thegovernment’s response since then as slow – a view alsoshared by opposition politicians.
Industry sources said that even with pig prices having increased inrecent weeks to 135p per kg (61.36p per lb) ex-farm there was stilla desperate need for farmers to be compensated for their losses.
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire MSP Mike Rumbles said anypractical assistance from government would be welcome, but brandedits approach complacent.
“The government could have acted much more quickly as it wasonly when the issue came before a parliamentary committee that wegot any action. I am disappointed at the slow pace ofevents,” he added.
Gordon McKen, the managing director at Scottish Pig Producers,welcomed the upward trend in ex-farm prices, but said they werestill short of the 145p farmers required for profitable production.
He also said retailers – particularly Tesco – had yetto reflect the increased buying prices in the rates they paidprocessors.
But there was praise from Mr McKen for Asda and Morrisons, both ofwhom had proactively responded to the increasing ex-farm prices.
Mr McKen said statistics also showed Morrisons as the retailer thathad passed on the lowest price increase to its customers while atthe same time paying the highest rate to farmers through its ownin-house Woodhead Bros slaughtering operation.
Mr McKen viewed the outlook for producers as better as consumerswere likely to switch back into pork because of the credit crunch.
The biggest issue for a globally ravaged pig sector after nearly ayear of unprofitable production is that pig numbers aresignificantly reduced.
Scotland’s weekly kill has since April been down a fifth onthe same period a year ago.