IFA Committee Chair Calls For Processors To Raise Producer Prices

Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) Pigs Committee Chairman, Tom Hogan, has called on all pig processors to increase producer prices to reflect major improvements in the pigmeat trade.

Speaking at the the IFA information meeting in Portlaoise on Wednesday, 07 March, Mr Hogan urged all processors to increase prices paid to all pig farmers to well in excess of the €1.50c/kg conservative estimate of the cost of production.

In recent weeks, other exporting European pig producing countries such as Germany and Denmark have experienced massive price improvements of up to 25c/kg, while Irish prices have remained static at the €1.40c/kg-€1.42c/kg level.

Mr Hogan said: "A number of factors provide justification for a significant price increase, including a stronger export trade, with Asian and the important Chinese market in particular, picking up over recent weeks, tightening supplies of pigs across the EU, and a steady demand for Irish product on the domestic market."

(LM)