A scheme to support Scottish pig producers that were impacted by the temporary closure of Brechin abattoir last year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the loss of its China export licence, is now open for application until 20 February 2022.
In December, the Scottish Government announced that the Pig Producersâ Hardship Support Scheme was set to be extended to support the industry through the ongoing impacts of the Covid crisis.
The scheme, which is backed by more than £680,000, is set to pay pig producers £7.50 per pig supplied to Quality Pig Processors (QPP) plant at Brechin, between 1 April and 30 September 2021.
The completed and signed application, together with the supporting evidence, should be submitted via email to the Scottish Government at pigproducers.support@gov.scot.
NFU Scotlandâs Pigs Committee Chair Jamie Wyllie said: âThe extension of the Pig Producersâ Hardship Support Scheme is something that the Union pushed to secure and will go some way to alleviate the huge losses that Scottish pig producers are currently facing. The industry remains hampered by low staffing levels throughout the supply chain as a direct result of the pandemic.
“These issues caused by Covid come at a time of high input costs on farms, poor prices globally, and a lack of equivalent controls and checks on EU product coming into the market, upsetting market balance and impacting the sectorâs ability to ride out the disruption caused by the pandemic on its processing sector.
âThe opening of the Extended Pig Hardship Scheme will be welcome news to our members, and I encourage all those who are eligible to apply before the 20 Februaryâ.
