June 3, 2008

Rising sow culling raises concern of UK pig sector

Rising sow culling has become a concern in the UK as it could lead to supply shortage and higher pork prices.

UK sow culling this year has so far rose by nearly 40 percent to 102,000 head from 77,000 in 2007, with weekly culling exceeding 4,000 head, according to British Pig Executive (BPEX).

British pig breeding herd has already been halved in the last decade to 436,000 sows and could fall to 390,000 by December. Increased slaughtering could also reduce pig availability by 1 million.

The sharp increase of culling rate is due to a 70-percent rise in feed prices and low pig prices.

BPEX chairman Stewart Houston said the rise in sow culling would lead to supply shortage in six to eight months and that imported pork would not be able to fill up the void. Even if imports manage to fill up the gap, most of them would come from production systems that are considered illegal in the UK, Houston added.

While retailers have increased pork prices in recent weeks, but the returns to the pig producers are still insufficient, according to Houston, who warned that if prices do not increase again soon enough, more sows would be culled and fewer pigs would be produced.

Houston reiterated that a fair price could prevent the situation but if things were allowed to remain as it is, more pig farmers would eventually leave the business.