The Irish Farmers Association Pigs Committee Chairman Pat O’Flaherty has said: "pig producers are shocked and disgusted that pig prices have fallen by an unprecedented 16c/kg in five weeks. The average pig price this year is €1.63/kg so 16c/kg is a fall of almost 10 per cent, this is an unwarranted and unexplained drop in prices that producers cannot afford.

Mr O’Flaherty said "Pig production is an industry of extremely tight margins and 4c/kg can be the difference between profitability and falling into the red. A drop of this magnitude over such a short period of time is impossible to cover and farmers are now back in familiar territory, struggling to keep their heads above water."

“Farmers across the country are querying why such a rapid and huge fall in pigprices has occurred. Exports have been very positive this year with both value and volume rising, retail value is also up with bacon and sausages performing very well this year. Farmers need answers and these must be provided by factories immediately." Concluded Mr O’Flaherty