The British Pig & Poultry Fair is well known for its forum sessions, designed to inform pig producers and allied sectors about the hot topics in our industry. We complete our round-up of this year’s forums with a look at what’s in store at the BPEX session
With a look at trends in consumer consumption and the export market, all the way back through the chain to on-farm production, BPEX will be highlighting some of the key areas that producers need to consider in order to remain competitive in the pig industry.
The organisation’s forum session, Outlook for pigs – what will influence your business in the year ahead?, will also highlight how BPEX can help producers be competitive, and grow their business and overcome any potential challenges; which links in with the overall fair theme of Growing Your Business.
BPEX’s recently appointed new head of technical, Andrew Knowles, will touch on trends in productivity and how the UK pig industry can look to close the gap with overseas competitors, while overcoming any unforeseen challenges.
“2014 will be an exciting year for the UK pig industry,” Mr Knowles says. “Producers are looking at investment opportunities to continue the recent significant lifts in physical performance, there’s renewed interest in herd performance recording, and more efficient feed utilisation to combat raw material costs remains a key priority.”
Nigel Penlington, meanwhile, will cover where and how pig producers should be investing in their businesses to ensure sustainable growth. He will detail the key areas to consider when investing in pig buildings and equipment.
Mr Penlington will also detail considerations for producers to be aware of when making investments and what new rules might impact on pig businesses in the coming year.
Talking about the wider market will be Tony Goodger, who’ll address the wider market. He will explain how trends in retail activity and consumer consumption will affect supply and demand during the next 12 months.
The BPEX forum is also an ideal opportunity for producers to question some of the team while hearing their view on the outlook for the British pig industry during the next year.