Designer pig meat improving pork’s image in Sweden

Designer pork has provided one of the few bright spots in a generally gloomy market for pig meat in Sweden, according to HKScan, the country’s largest meat company. HKScan reports a good start to Swedish sales of Rapsgris, its recently introduced brand of pork produced on the basis of including rapeseed oil in the pigs’ feed. This designer pork meat claims two benefits:
1. The polyunsatured fatty acids from rapeseed oil create a healthier pork by replacing some of the saturated fatty acids present in conventional pig meat.
2. Additionally, the meat is more tender and juicy as well as more flavorsome and is easier to cook.
In Sweden, the launch of Rapsgris began in March 2012 with its appearance on the menu at several top restaurants. Meat of the same type was then offered through retail stores from September. HKScan insists that it has been tailored carefully to suit Swedish conditions, from the amount of rapeseed oil included in the formulation of the feed to the on-farm conditions for producing the pigs.
The company adds that Rapsgris also is a PR success by helping improve the image of pork in Sweden. Domestic pig meat production continues to suffer a long process of decline.
This background was underlined by recent figures showing that fewer than 2.59 million pigs were slaughtered for meat at Swedish abattoirs in 2012, down from 2.85 million in 2011. Pig slaughter peaked in 2004 at 3.36 million pigs before beginning a series of year-on-year reductions.
First data for 2013 have indicated that a decline in pig production is on-going and may even have accelerated. Sweden’s sow numbers in December 2012 fell to 140,900 from 151,800 a year earlier and compared with 168,000 in 2008.

Perdue Agribusiness brings new crop to North Carolina farmers

A partnership between Perdue AgriBusiness and Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Technology Crops International introduced a new crop, known as HEAR, to farmers in North Carolina.
The crop, high erucic acid rapeseed, or HEAR, looks identical to canola, but the oil the crop produces has a different composition.
HEAR has been grown in the state for three years in trial work and will now be provided to North Carolina farmers through the partnership. HEAR, unlike wheat, is grown under contract. TCI supplies the seed, agronomic assistance and then purchases the end crop from farmers, while Perdue provides storage and processing.
Oil from HEAR seed can be used in the manufacturing of polymers, petroleum additives, pharmaceuticals, foods and personal-care products, and a derivative of the oil is used in the manufacturing process for almost all plastic bags.
"We have a very strong demand for HEAR globally, and are seeking long-term crop production partners," says Andrew Hebard, president and CEO of TCI. "Yield results in North Carolina prove the state offers one of the best regions for growing HEAR. Commercial crops grown by North Carolina farmers produced approximately 55 bushels per acre in 2011. We contract with growers around the world to supply specialty oils to our customers and we're pleased to be able to bring this opportunity to farmers right here in our home state."
The companies expect HEAR will earn growers from $50 to $100 more per acre than wheat, and the crop could potentially improve wheat yields the following growing season by as much as 15%. The meal produced after the oil is extracted from the seed is a high-protein animal feed, which the companies say will help North Carolina's current protein deficit in the livestock production industry.
North Carolina farmers interested in growing HEAR should contact TCI at +1.877.780.5882 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +1.877.780.5882      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Perdue AgriBusiness at goagpartners@perdue.com.

Russia’s Sodrugestvo secures expansion finance

Russia’s largest supplier of feed ingredients is to receive US$40 million in loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Sodrugestvo Group will borrow US$25 million over three years from EBRD towards working capital for its soybean crushing operation. There will also be a seven-year loan of US$15 million for a transport subsidiary to purchase up to 500 railway wagons to carry finished products, such as soybean meal, to customers and to bring rapeseed for crushing.
The group plans to start local sourcing of up to 50,000 metric tons of rapeseed per year for processing at its recently-opened crushing plant in Russia’s westernmost port, Kaliningrad. It also intends to use its Kaliningrad port facilities for exporting about 150,000 tons of grain per year as well as 100,000 tons of sugarbeet and 50,000 tons of rapeseed.