[Marches Farmer]

Moving closer to direct sales but wondering what to charge.  We used to be a finishing unit for the Traditional Breeds Meat Marketing Scheme, set up by the rare Breeds Survival Trust to provide an outlet for native breed pigs, but that was a few years ago and prices will have changed.   The pigs will be pedigree, farm born and reared pedigree GOS, traditionally reared.  They'll be  slaughtered, butchered and packed at a nearby abattoir to be collected and delivered by us to pre-order.  Have had an initial inspection and approval of our facilities by the local authority.  Planning to sell butchered half-pigs (belly and shoulder will be sausaged).  Thoughts on how much to charge would be welcome.  We have a lot of local interest already so we're not too concerned about finding a market initially.

[harmony]

All sounds very exciting Marches Farmer! Should you not look at what is is going to cost first of all?

[greenbeast]

we charge £140 for a half pig and £250 for a whole pig.
free-range, traditional breeds, nothing strictly pedigree

[Marches Farmer]

All sounds very exciting Marches Farmer! Should you not look at what is is going to cost first of all?

Cost already worked out.  Since we have no local competition (apart from butchers' shops and I can check their prices) I wanted information on what the market can bear, in order to come to a reasonable compromise which covers costs whilst recognising that we'll be supplying an exceptionally high quality product..

[pharnorth]

I ask similar to Greenbeast, £140 to £160 for a half pig. As I have only been doing 4 at a time I've effectively produced to order and this gives me around 25% profit (i.e one pig) I now have two pedigree breeding sows so it is a new venture seeing if I can still keep a reasonable margin as will need more customers...

[MarthaR]

Hi Gillian

Similarly I charge £160 for a butchered, vacpacked half pig. Wilbur is doing well by the way - producing lovely piglets. And Nancy and her daughters are great too.
Martha

[harmony]

A chap near us who is a qualified butcher and has all the facilities to process his meat has just packed up. He sold direct from the farm, did all the local shows and food festivals and sold to local restaurants. The abattoir is 45 minutes away. He was right on the road side. He blames cheap imports. Obviously he only had killing costs as he could do the rest himself.


I tell you this not to put you off  but there are regular adverts on here and elsewhere for people cutting back their herds because they started selling meat, grew bigger and then found they couldn't attract enough sales.


Other people are very successful doing the same thing.


Always do your homework and yes, always see what other people are selling for but if their price wont cover your costs then you are cutting your throat from word go.


A business friend of mine once said don't forget your product. You shouldn't charge the same as the next person if your product is better.

[Marches Farmer]

We're mostly about conservation breeding the rarest of the rare native breeds, so need an outlet for any female stock that's not breeding quality and, of course, the surplus boars.  We generally have a wait list for surplus weaners in Spring and Summer but they're not so popular in the Winter months!

[hughesy]

A chap near us who is a qualified butcher and has all the facilities to process his meat has just packed up. He sold direct from the farm, did all the local shows and food festivals and sold to local restaurants. The abattoir is 45 minutes away. He was right on the road side. He blames cheap imports. Obviously he only had killing costs as he could do the rest himself.


I tell you this not to put you off  but there are regular adverts on here and elsewhere for people cutting back their herds because they started selling meat, grew bigger and then found they couldn't attract enough sales.


Other people are very successful doing the same thing.


Always do your homework and yes, always see what other people are selling for but if their price wont cover your costs then you are cutting your throat from word go.


A business friend of mine once said don't forget your product. You shouldn't charge the same as the next person if your product is better.

A very common scenario these days. We are in a similar position really. I sell our pork and pork products at local markets three days a week and most of the time have enough sales to cover costs and even make a few quid occasionally. However five years experience has taught me that my original aspirations were totally unrealistic. The costs associated with keeping a sufficient number of pigs are eyewatering. And those pigs need feeding just the same even when times are hard on the sales front. Selling a few half pigs is one thing, making a full time business out of it is quite another.

[pharnorth]

Apart from the shear pleasure of doing it that has been what has motivated me to get a couple of Berkshire sows. The margins are so poor now for small producers that it is important the hobbiests are involved to keep the pedigree lines going and hopefully entice a few more people into buying rare breed pork. My aim is to cover my costs and own meat and sell at a good enough price to ensure those of you trying to make a living aren't undercut.

[Gregoz]

I charge £160 for a half pig

I am setting up a facility to butcher  and cure myself and have retail and restaurant clients in place with repeating weekly orders

Adding value to the pork by curing it and turning off cuts into sausage , good sausage is key to being profitable

I also think Brexit will promote this kind of business

[westcoastcroft]

I'm from NW Skye and new to the forum, Hello..

How many KGs it it? Or at least what are you expecting?

My last GOS killed at 7 months gave me 83 kgs vac packed.
Last 'Half' pig i bought in for the freezer was more like 18 kgs and cost about £130 i.e. about £7.3/kg

I really think price per KG is a more relevant measure to use - at £160/half I'd be charging £3.85/kg (not sure what I will charge but it certainly ain't going to be under £4/kg - somewhere round the £7-8/kg mark for a half or quarter would be more like it. 

What are other folk doing in terms of average weights for their prices quoted above?

[oor wullie]

We decided to sell in kgs this year.  I think it is fairer for both the seller and buyer as we can both know what we are getting/selling. 

Our last pig was 84kg dead weight.  That works out about 36kg per half (including about 10kg sausages).  Selling at £5.50/kg. 
admittedly that was quite a big pig but we are probably still a bit too cheap.