Pig production report finds UK and EU costs narrowing

The latest cost of production report for BPEX, found that UK pig producers costs increased 7 percent while the European average was around 12 percent. Part of the reason for the narrowing of the gap is that pig feed prices increased earlier in the UK than in the rest of Europe.

The latest cost of production report for BPEX, found that UK pig producers costs increased 7 percent while the European average was around 12 percent. Part of the reason for the narrowing of the gap is that pig feed prices increased earlier in the UK than in the rest of Europe.

Despite the higher relative cost of production in Great Britain, most aspects of physical performance did improve between 2010 and 2011. The InterPIG report, which covers data from 2011, looks at costs in selected European countries together with Canada, Brazil and United States.

“We are improving year-on-year, but so is the rest of Europe and we need to close the gap faster,” says Andrew Knowles, head of knowledge transfer at BPEX."There is some good news for the industry in the report, but there are still challenges, which need to be overcome. For example, the overall average number of pigs weaned per sow per year in the European InterPIG countries showed a 2 percent increase in 2011, while there was a 3 percent increase in pigs weaned per sow in Great Britain.”

For a copy of the report, email Emma Whitlock at [email protected].

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