October 24, 2007

Australia may face pork shortage near Christmas

Pig prices are set to rise in Australia before Christmas in the face of a shrinking market, according to Australian analysts.

There are reports that some retailers and wholesalers would be out of stock at Christmas time due to the short supply of pigmeat, according to Michelle Lepparde, market analyst with the National Livestock Reporting Service

Prices would be sky-high if supplies become scarce between now and Christmas, she said.

However, some have predicted that weaner prices would not reach the levels in previous years. 

Australia's pig farmers are facing challenging times due to drought and rising feed prices. The government is considering higher tariffs to curb pork imports to give breathing space to domestic farmers.