[rispainfarm]

 

This is the latest news from the NPA.


 

DATE: 20 September 2012

 

Europe’s pork and bacon supply is contracting fast

A world shortage of pork and bacon next year is now unavoidable, says Britain’s National Pig Association. But British supermarkets can protect consumers from shortages and steep price rises if they pay Britain’s loss-making pig farmers a fair price, to help them remain in production.

 

New data shows the European Union pig herd is declining at a significant rate, and this is a trend that is being mirrored around the world. Pig farmers have been plunged into loss by high pig-feed costs, caused by the global failure of maize and soya harvests.

 

All main European pig-producing countries report shrinking sow herds. Falling numbers in the 12 months to June 2012 have been reported this week by Denmark (-2.3), Germany (-1.3), Ireland (-6.6), Spain (-2., France (-3.2), Italy (-13), Hungary (-5), the Netherlands (-3.6), Austria (-2., Poland (-9.6) and Sweden (-7.2).

 

“British supermarkets know they have to raise the price they pay Britain’s pig farmers or risk empty spaces on their shelves next year,” said NPA chairman Richard Longthorp. “But competition is so fierce in the high street at present, each is waiting for the other to move first.”

 

In its Save Our Bacon campaign, NPA is asking shoppers to make a point of selecting pork and bacon with the British independent Red Tractor logo, as an increase in demand for British product now may help persuade supermarkets to act before it is too late.   

 

Sainsbury’s has increased the price it pays to a few of its pig farmer suppliers and NPA has welcomed this gesture. But it says the major supermarkets need to do much more, if they want to protect their customers from shortages and high prices next year.

 

British Pig Executive Mick Sloyan warned a private meeting of British and mainland Europe retailers at a Brussels summit yesterday that a fall of only 2 percent in slaughterings next year will cause prices to rise by 10 percent.

NPA believes slaughterings could fall by as much as 10 percent in the second half of next year, which indicates a doubling of the price of European pork and pork products. “If supermarkets act now, they can prevent this happening,” says NPA.   

Ends

[Fowgill Farm]

“If supermarkets act now, they can prevent this happening,” says NPA.   

Well thats a big IF, do the supermarkets care, not as jot even the so called top end ones. I think if the supermarkets and the govt had their way all pork here would be imported. British pig farmers are losing £18 a pig at the present time and given the sharp increases in feed this loss will increase and is unsustainable. I know lots of herds been downsized at the present time, the future don't look good for the commercial guys at all. At least us little guys have a bit more of a niche market to sell into and should be able to weather the storm a little more. 
mandy

[MAK]

I find this odd.
I live in France and earlier in the year when I was reading on a gov. site (how to register my pigs) it explained the compensation rates for NOT producing pork. It said that there was overproduction and listed how much was paid for NOT keeping sows, boars and gilts. One person declared that he would NOT be keeping 6 boars, 22 Sows and that he would get a few thousand Euros. At the end of his long letter he declared that he was an office worker and that he had never kept animals - BUT he said he is prepared NOT to keep pigs this year and to receive the compensation as extra income.

Pork is still very cheap in  French supermarkets and when they have offers on they sell chops for as little as 2.58 Euro a Kg !!!!