Export demand for pigs in Ireland remains strong at present, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), resulting in prices to producers staying “relatively steady” after the increases which the majority of country’s pig farmers received in the early weeks of January.
“While the national kill was over 65,000 last week, demand remains strong from all export plants with the greatest competition coming from the northern based plants,” said IFA Pigs Committee Chairman, Tom Hogan (pictured above).
On the consumer side, meanwhile, the chairman called on all domestic retailers and butchers to support and offer local Bord Bia quality assured ham, bacon and pork to customers and to “utilise every opportunity to support the local Irish pig sector”.
Ireland’s percentage of the EU price has improved in recent weeks and is currently 101% of the EU average price, as reported to the European Commission for the week beginning January 9, 2017.
Factory pig throughput in Republic of Ireland export plants for the week ending Jan 14, 2017, was 65,598 head which was 2,475 more than in the corresponding week in 2016.