June 20, 2022

 

Farmers in Germany affected by Ukraine conflict and swine crisis

 

The German Farmers' Association (DBV) said they are under increased pressure with two times higher prices for livestock feed and rising input costs due to the Ukraine conflict and soaring fuel prices, with the domestic swine sector worst affected, DW news reported.

 

Bernhard Krüsken, the DBV general secretary, said rising prices, particularly for energy, fertiliser, and livestock feed, were already noticeable before the Ukraine war, but they have now accelerated significantly.

 

Pork production is particularly affected in Germany, with swine farmers facing rising feed and fuel costs even as meat prices remain stagnant, partly due to the ability of meat producers and retailers to import cheap meat from other countries.

 

Heinrich Dierkes, chairman of the German Pig Farmers' Interest Group, said he has never seen a wide range of crises in his four-decade career in swine husbandry.

 

Swine flu outbreaks, the coronavirus, and now the rise in feed costs caused by the Ukraine conflict have all had an impact, according to the ISN. The number of pig farms in Germany has decreased by 40% between 2011 and 2021, with only 18,800 remaining, and the ISN believes that the pork industry may be driven out of the country entirely.

 

Dierkes said German swine farmers are the victims of the government's "double standards", forcing them to raise animal welfare standards while excluding meat importers from having to label their products with their origins.

 

He said this creates a paradox, as politicians want to reduce livestock numbers, but they are driving family businesses to close down, businesses that want to develop animal husbandry gradually.

 

One particular stumbling block, which has become more pressing in recent months, is the government's plan to require farmers to keep 4% of their land as "unproductive" to provide more space for wildlife.

 

The DBV believes that this plan should be put on hold for the time being, as using the land for food would help alleviate grain shortages.

 

Krüsken said this is not a good idea from the farmers' perspective, as only about half of the unused land would be suitable for grain production.

 

-      DW News