April 10, 2013

Lesser hog numbers may hurt Manitoba pork processing plants

The supply of hogs available for Manitoba's pork processing plants is threatened by the economic pressures that have prompted the provinces pork producers to reduce production.

Efforts to address the economic challenges facing the Canadian pork industry will be among the topics to be discussed in Winnipeg as Manitoba Pork Council hosts its 2013 annual general meeting.

Last week during a meeting with the provincial agriculture minister, representatives of the organisation were informed that the Manitoba Government will not support a Hog Stabilisation Programme which had been proposed by the provinces' pork producers.

Manitoba Pork Council vice-chair Rick Bergmann says, in talking with producers, they are indicating they will not use up all of their equity in order to raise a pig so they are making some significant decisions.

We have spent a tremendous amount of time and effort and money working on a stabilisation plan and, as you know, there's a very key missing link in that to be able to come to fruition.

We have met with government numerous times on this initiative and we certainly would need them to partner with us to bring sustainability, not just for producers, but our province has been fortunate to have some very good processing facilities here.

A good quality pig goes in and a good quality product goes out of those plants and a challenge now moving forward is going to be seeing if there's going to be enough pigs going into these plants primarily due to some of the economic challenges and burdens that producers have had.

Bergmann said, in the areas where he has travelled, there has been a significant reduction in the number of hogs being produced and if it is not already being noticed it will be coming into the second quarter.