IFA pig committee chair Tom Hogan has spoken out against cuts to pig prices which have seen a drop of 4c/kg.

“While pork is a worldwide traded commodity, our local market advantages and access to premium export markets have placed the Irish pig processing industry on a solid footing.

"This move to drop the pig price again only increases the factories’ margins on the back of pig farmers,” he said.

Opportunistic

Hogan accused pig processors of being opportunistic.

“They should recognise that farmers need a justifiable and sustainable price, above €1.60c/kg.”

He said sales of pork and bacon had soared in 2020, with some areas seeing double-digit growth. He also pointed out that Ireland benefitted from full access to important Asian markets, including China, and demand for pigmeat remained high, which meant that cuts weren’t justified.