UFU calls for urgent government action on pig sector pressures

UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy and UFU pig committee chair Edgar Carson attended the discussion alongside NFU Scotland, processors and retailers. They highlighted the combined impact of market oversupply, pressure on pig prices and high production costs. The UFU also raised concerns about contractual arrangements and the difficulties some producers are experiencing in their dealings with companies they supply.

Glenn Cuddy, UFU deputy president, said: “Pig producers are facing sustained pressure on several fronts. High production costs and difficult market conditions are squeezing margins, while uncertainty over contracts is making it harder for some businesses to plan ahead. Taken together, these pressures are putting the viability of pig businesses at risk.

“We welcome the committee’s engagement and its commitment to take the industry’s concerns to Defra. We are asking government to work with producers, processors and retailers to agree practical steps that can ease the immediate pressure on farms and give producers greater certainty about the terms on which they supply. Farm businesses are making decisions now about their future, and the government’s response needs to reflect that urgency.”

During the visit, the UFU delegation also met representatives from across Northern Ireland’s political parties to discuss the impact on local pig producers and underline the need for action. MPs will now draw together the industry’s requests and put them to Defra for consideration.