Pig Council Report November 2024

1. Policy proposals for approval by National Council

N/A 

• Market Report 

When the last council report was submitted in September prices (including vat) were as follows: 

Rosderra           €2.33 – 2.38c/kg

Kepak               €2.33 –2.40c/kg

Dawn P&B        €2.33 – 2.40c/kg

Staunton’s         €2.32 – 2.35c/kg

Sows                €1.65/kg

Today, as we enter the last weeks pigs sales for October we do so following a 6c/kg decrease on Friday last (26^th of October), with the average pig price reported by farmers to be €2.08/kg including VAT. 

Rosderra           €2.06 – 2.12c/kg

Kepak               €2.06 –2.12c/kg

Dawn P&B        €2.07 – 2.12c/kg

Staunton’s         €2.06 – 2.12c/kg

Sows                €1.50/kg

Irish pig prices fell by 6c/kg on the 26^th of October brining the average price back to €2.08/kg including VAT. This is possibly a reflection of the weekly throughput back at levels of circa 65,000 pigs per week and cheaper EU meat available. The UK market is and was adding much value to our Irish pig price over the past number of months. It is indeed a very important market for us here in Ireland. It seems as though there is likely cheaper EU meat available for consumption in the UK which is likely putting pressure on prices too. The average compound feed cost for September according to Teagasc is €1.31/kg dead weight. This remains unchanged since July. Total throughput YTD is 2,545,856 which is up 12,417 from the corresponding period in 2023. Throughput for week ending 20^th of October, 2024, was 63,864, and the previous week to that it was 62,309.The latest available data from Bord Bia export performance and prospects, shows that Irish exports of primary pigmeat products were valued at €326.8 million, 4.7% higher than the corresponding period in 2023.

The IFA Pigs Committee led by Chairman, Roy Gallie, are in engagements with factories, secondary processors, retailers, the foodservice sector and also within the channels of government procurement in an effort to try and stem the drops in pig price.  To date, there has been a total of 32c/kg taken off the Irish pig price which is having a significant impact on producers returns.  The official ‘average’ Irish price quoted by Bord Bia as of the 5^th of October 2024 was €2.18 excluding VAT. The average European pig price for the Grade E carcass was quoted as €2.00/ kg dead weight for the same week excluding VAT. 

Source: https://www.bordbia.ie/farmers-growers/prices-markets/pig-trade-prices/pigmeat-price-dashboard/

• Activity since last National Council
• IFA Pig Committee representatives are actively engaging with the Nitrates Division on the 4-day export notification proposal from DAFM as this would be totally unworkable for pig farmers. 
• IFA Pig Committee members have been engaging intensively with processors and secondary processors to try to stop declining pig prices.
• Ongoing engagement with department, Animal Health Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, Meat Industry Ireland and Bord Bia.
• Engagements with the newly appointed Food Regulator, Niamh Lenahan, who we will be working closely with over the coming year. 
• Ongoing work with the DNA scheme and testing in particular the foodservice sector as we work toward ensuring as much Irish product as possible is utilised on home soil. 
• Meeting with retailers on specific issues relating to price, changes in production systems, sustainability and viability of the sector. 
• Ongoing discussions with EPA on various issues technical amendments online and IED. 

• EU/COPA developments
• Engaging directly with Copa and Cogeca on the revision of Animal Welfare in Transport Regulation. 
• We will engage in EU commission meetings around the implementation of the revised IED.  
• Last year the European Food Safety Authority released its recommendations for the welfare of pigs on farm. We are actively engaging with Copa-Cogeca to ensure that a strong position is held among farm organizations to lobby on these recommendations. 
• End of cages – presentation of study’s conclusions. Copa-Cogeca have conducted an impact assessment on the end of cages and the potential impact associated with the change for agriculture and associated transition periods. Should this come into immediate effect by 2025, it’s expected that circa 37% of pork meat would cease and 3% of EU egg production would cease. 
• Engaging with COPA COGECA and at National level on the EUDR which has now been halted until Jan 2026. 
• EU Horizon project – WelFarmers – IFA are partaking in an EU welfare project on pig welfare which is a 3-year project. We have secured funding from the EU to partake in this project and will be working closely with our Irish pig farmers and EU colleagues on this over the next 3 years. 

• Upcoming issues
• Engagement with DAFM on slurry exports –  4-day rule proposal by DAFM and establishment of an alternative method of reporting for pig farmers. 
• A reduction in the use of imported pigmeat in the foodservice sector is something the committee are eager to work on and see improvements.
• Actively engaging and working to ensure fair price is being returned to producers.
• Engaging with Boar studs and Bord Bia on a Quality Assurance Scheme.  
• Engaging with the EPA regarding various issues including emissions, the revision of the AER and IED. 
• Engaging with the Pig Health Check Implementation Group on the National Salmonella Control Programme and on the Biosecurity code of practice.