ARM Buildings has revealed that it has received a flood of orders for pig houses in recent months, which it described as ‘tangible evidence of farmers’ confidence in the future of the British pig industry’.
“Demand has increased since March. We are currently working at full capacity, have taken on additional staff and are operating a ‘twilight’ shift to maximise factory efficiency to meet customers’ requirements,” said Paul Marland, the company’s sales director.
He believes that 18-24 months of high pig prices has increased industry confidence ‘after the disaster that was 2022’, and that there is a general shortage of finishing accommodation.
“With increasing emphasis on welfare, there is also a perception of the imminent need to switch to flexible farrowing. The industry appears to be accepting the reasons to change and is taking steps to achieve this without legislative intervention,” he added.
Mr Marland also believes that the introduction of long-term contracts by some retailers and processors has helped to boost confidence, while the latest net margin figures from AHDB suggest producers have enjoyed nine successive quarters of profitability.
