EU pig producer study reveals gains, losses

The latest report on cost of pig production across Europe and further afield shows that UK pig producers are still in a comparatively poor position.
The InterPIG report, which has been produced annually for the past nine years, looks at the figures from a dozen countries across Europe, Canada and Brazil. The final report, which covers 2010, will be published at the end of October, but the key points it contains were released this week and include:

• EU costs of pig production rose 2% in 2010 compared with 2009
• The Czech Republic had the highest costs, at 183p/kg dw, and the Mato Grosso state in Brazil had the lowest, at 87p/kg dw
• Great Britain had total costs of 146p/kg, 8% above the selected EU average
• Most countries reported an increase in feed costs in 2010 – Canada was up 20%, but France and the Netherlands were down 4%
• Over half of the InterPIG group reported a reduction in post-weaning mortality
• Most countries also experienced an increase in daily liveweight gain

“There are a couple of positive points to take out from the figures," said senior analyst Mark Topliff. "The number of litters per sow per year is up and mortality to finishing has fallen. “The results relate to performance in 2010 and underline the importance of the industry achieving 2TS, which was launched in May 2010, with the objective of closing the gap in competitiveness that this report highlights.”
The report is collated by AHDB Market Intelligence in the UK.