IRISH PIG producers are losing €1 million a week and are now at crisis point, protesters outside a Co Monaghan pig-processing plant heard yesterday.
The protest, organised by the Irish Farmers’ Association, at Connolly Meats in Monaghan was called to highlight the difficulties the producers face and the competition from imported pigmeat.
“Connollys are not the only ones importing pigmeat; the problem is rife across the retail and food service sectors. The only way to currently identify Irish meat is through the Bord Bia quality logo,” said Michael Cafferty, a producer who led the protest.
“There is absolutely no transparency at food service level. Hotels and restaurants in Ireland are being supplied by the well-known ‘white van man’ who buys imported products from wholesalers at knock-down prices. This is then sold to the consumer, who believes they are buying Irish, at an inflated price.
“Pig feed prices have risen to an unsustainable level over the last number of months, and pig farmers are losing as much as €1 million per week.
“This has been the situation now for six months, and at this point farming families in this industry are at crisis point.”
Mr Cafferty said pig producers invested over €500,000 into a campaign through Bord Bia to encourage people to support quality-assured Irish meat. These producers were frustrated at secondary processors who were importing pigmeat, undercutting the market and effectively putting Irish farmers out of business.
In a statement after the protest, the IFA said the company had met representatives of its pigs committee and had given a commitment to use more Irish-produced produce as it acknowledged the severity of the problems facing the Irish pig industry.