December 11, 2003

UK's National Pig Association Call For Action On Precarious State of Pig Industry

The UK's National Pig Association (NPA) is joining with continental producer organisations to call for urgent action over the precarious state of the pig industry.

Working with the Committee of Agricultural Organisations in the European Union (COPA) and the General Confederation of Agricultural Co-operatives in the European Union (COGECA), NPA is calling for the introduction of stabilisation measures.

NPA is urging Defra to support market management measures (such as Private Storage Aids) when the EC Pigmeat Standard group meets next week.

In a letter to Franz Fischler, COPA-COGECA say they are "deeply concerned by the precarious situation in the EU pigmeat sector" and by the fact that the critical situation will continue for months to come. They make particular mention of the impact of feed prices.

"COPA and COGECA consider it necessary that the Commission takes immediate measures to improve the market situation using in an optimal way the few market management instruments available in the pigmeat Common Market Organisation.

"COPA and COGECA call upon the Commission to present as soon as possible and preferably at the next Management Committee, a proposal for introducing the most appropriate measures in order to stabilise the EU pigmeat market."

French agriculture minister Herv¨¦ Gaymard was reported last week to have pledged to French pig producers that they would receive aid in a few weeks to help them survive prices currently around 25p a kilo below cost of production.

He has proposed a range of measures including an immediate aid of 5m euros for restructuring. And he has asked the European Commission to look at Private Storage Aids. He is also said to be planning an initiative on labeling.

Later this week BPEX are expected to publish a report that examines the impact of feed price increase on European pig producers.