The IFA has called on all pig processors to raise quotes by 30c/kg immediately and take Irish pig prices in line with the EU average.

This week’s Irish Farmers Journal reports that a 33c/kg price gap had opened between Irish and EU E-grade pigmeat prices by 20 March, equating to approximately €1.14m in lost farmer revenue for the week preceding this date.

EU pigmeat prices rose a further 6.7c/kg the following week, figures made available by the European Commission since the paper went to print now show.

The corresponding quotes reported for Irish prices show a slight decrease in quotes.

“Pig farmers have been haemorrhaging money since September 2021 and losses have risen to €40 per pig sold,” said IFA pig chair Roy Gallie.

“We are currently 30c/kg below it. Farmers need an immediate price increase given the very serious crisis in the sector,” Gallie said.

Irish pigmeat prices have remained above the EU average since the introduction of the IFA pork DNA assurance scheme, according to the farm organisation.

A doubling in the price of feed over a 12-month period without any significant increase in pig prices has already put more than 15 pig farmers out of business.

Minister’s recognition

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue had stated that the development of the sector was a priority of his in comments made in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday.

“I fully understand the size and scale of the challenge facing the sector,” the minister told TDs.

Matt Carthy TD commented that he had been told by farmers that they had been losing “almost €60,000” per month and that credit issues had come to a head in recent days.

“Arising from those losses, pig farmers are now being refused grain on credit or access to bank loans,” Carthy said.

A push for urgent intervention in the pig sector was pushed for by Minister McConalogue’s Fianna Fáil colleague Christopher O’Sullivan TD.

The crisis situation facing the pig sector is the result of international pressures, rather than domestic ones, he stated.

“I’m pleading with you here now for an intervention something along the lines of what the IFA have sought in their submission,” O’Sullivan said.

€100m rescue package

The IFA is engaged in ongoing negotiations with Department officials regarding “technical aspects” of its proposed €100m sectoral rescue scheme.

IFA representatives acknowledged the challenges in delivering such a scheme but continued to emphasise the need for urgent action in comments made to the Irish Farmers Journal after a meeting between the IFA and Minister McConalogue on Tuesday.

The meeting had resulted from an IFA demonstration outside the Department of Agriculture’s head office in Dublin.

Protesters had also marched to Government Buildings and down Grafton Street as part of Tuesday’s demonstration.