Scotland’s pig sector is under severe and sustained pressure, with producers facing ongoing financial losses that are driving rapid herd reduction and placing long-term production capacity at risk, according to NFU Scotland.
It is warning that without immediate and coordinated action from government, retailers and the wider supply chain, Scotland risks losing a vital part of its food production base.
Pig prices have fallen sharply in recent months, driven by a combination of EU market weakness, processing disruption, seasonal plant constraints and ongoing supply chain pressure, while lower European pricing continues to exert downward pressure across UK markets.
With just one major abattoir in Scotland, at Brechin, Scottish independent producers are particularly exposed. The abattoir, owned by the Browns Food Group, has been turning pigs away in large numbers, with backlogs growing on farms and producers forced to sell pigs to abattoirs south of the border, in some cases at what have been described as ‘distressed’ prices.
NFUS said producers in Scotland are reporting receiving prices as much as 15% below the UK SPP (180p/kg) for some loads, while production costs remain at approximately 188p/kg, meaning Scottish producers are getting well below cost of production.
“This imbalance is not marginal — it is structural and unsustainable,” NFUS said. As a result, many businesses are now operating at losses of £700–£1,000 per sow place, with a typical 500-sow unit potentially facing annual losses in excess of £500,000 if things don’t turn around. These figures are forcing hard decisions on herd size, investment and future production, it said.
Scotland has lost an estimated 10% of its sow herd since the start of the year, as producers reduce numbers simply to manage financial survival. NFUS has warned that continued contraction at this pace risks tipping the sector below a viable base level of production, making recovery increasingly difficult if not impossible.
Urgent relief
NFUS is intensifying engagement with processors, retailers and plans raise this immediately with the new Cabinet Secretary to call for urgent relief and longer-term structural change.
It is calling for better origin labelling, increased Scottish pork in retail and public procurement, improved investment support, and stronger promotion of the sector, alongside coordinated engagement with Ministers.
The industry is also seeking targeted financial support amid significant losses, warning that continued low profitability threatens investment, production capacity, and long-term sustainability.
NFUS president Andrew Connon said: “The sector is now at a critical point. Without urgent action on pricing, fairness and market structure, Scotland risks irreversible loss of production capacity. NFU Scotland will continue to press for immediate action and long-term solutions to secure a sustainable future.”