Struggling Welsh pig herd halved since 2002
Figures released by Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales- HCC), show that because of the rising costs of production, the number of pigs in Wales has halved over the last decade.
A major contributing factor to problem is the price of feed. Other production costs have seen the pig herd in Wales declined by 4% since 2011; the total number of pigs in Wales at year’s end stood at 25,600 animals. In the year 2000, this number was 65,200.
The meat group also report that the Also, the total number of pigs that passed through Welsh abattoirs this August was 2,700, which was the third month of decline in a row and 14% down year-on-year. In the first eight months of 2012, 23,100 pigs went to slaughter in Wales, which is 1% down on last year.
Low supplies of pork in the EU and Britain have led to an increase in pork prices over the summer, a sign of producers bringing their pigs to market early, in order to break even amidst the increase in production costs.
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