March 7, 2011

Scotland's pig producers protest over prices

Hundreds of Scottish pig producers paraded a giant effigy of a pork sausage outside Downing Street, London on March 3 to demand for better farm gate prices.

A petition outlining the need for action to help them cope following soaring feed prices was handed in to Number 10.

Among the demonstrators was north-east producer Philip Sleigh, of Netherton of Mounie, Oldmeldrum, who said, "We need prices to move higher because the cost of producing pork has increased dramatically in the last six months."

Sleigh, who is also chairman of the pig committee of NFU Scotland, said, "The cost of wheat and barley has doubled but the prices we are receiving have reduced."

He said two Scottish producers have gone out of business and warned, "More will be forced to take that decision in the near future."

Committee vice-chairman Kevin Gilbert, of Womblehill, Kintore, said, "Our costs have doubled but we face a 10% reduction in the price we receive and we need a fairer price for our products."

He urged supermarkets to offer their customers greater opportunities to buy more British pork. He said pig producers from across the UK had presented a united front in Westminster on the need for action.