Pig farmers need another 5c/kg from meat processors this week just to break even, according to pig farmer and IFA Monaghan chair Frank Brady.

German pig prices have increased by 21c/kg over the past four weeks, while Irish pig prices have risen by just 10c/kg during the same period.

Farmers here would need €1.54/kg to break even, according to Brady, but they are averaging €1.48/kg to €1.52/kg across the country.

“Farmers have held off on investing in their piggeries for the last year through lack of cashflow and they need this money to start reinvesting on their farms again and get them performing at the optimum level,” he said.

Shortage

With more than 2m sows culled in China in December and January, Brady said there would be a major shortage of pigmeat and a reduction in feed demand and everyone, including processors and farmers, could benefit.