October 3, 2007

 

Irish pig farmers meet to seek a way out of crisis

 

 

The fact that 180 producers and processors attended the strategy meeting at Roscrea recently was evidence that the Irish pig industry is in crisis, Irish Farmers Association (IFA) president Padraig Walshe.

 

There was an acceptance by stakeholders that the industry is in crisis and those in attendance were keen to support a survival plan, Walshe said.

 

He accused the government of hypocrisy in allowing foreign meat imports, while Irish producers are not allowed access to imported animal feed.

 

Furthermore, with country-of-origin rules, Irish people were being conned into thinking they are buying Irish products.

 

Meanwhile, IFA Pigs and Pigmeat committee chairman Michael Maguire said pig farmers are losing about EUR 10-15/pig, which meant some could be losing as much as EUR 3,000 a week, an unsustainable situation that called for increased prices.

 

During the Roscrea meeting, Irish pigmeat producers and processors endorsed a revamped marketing strategy by Bord Bia to reclaim the market.

 

Recently the IFA also negotiated with processing company Breeo, which sells the Galtee brand to carry only Irish products, saying that brands with names of Irish places should sell only Irish meat. The IFA is currently angling for Breeo to sell meat that is at least 80 percent sourced from Irish producers.

 

The meeting also estimates 30 percent of pig producers to exit the sector in the next year.

 

IFA plans to lobby politicians in the next two weeks for country of origin labelling and for approved animal feed to be allowed into Europe.

 

Meanwhile farmers have staged protests at ASDA, a retail chain, after the company announced it is cutting prices on its sausages. Its decision was also strongly criticised by Ulster Farmers Union (UFU). However, ASDA clarified that the price-cut was a promotion which had no impact on farm-gate prices.