British pig meat getting cheaper, but still not quite cheap enough
The cost of producing British pig meat is getting cheaper, according to latest figures from the British Pig Executive (BPEX), but it is still above the European average, while production costs in Brazil, Canada and the US are significantly lower than in the European Union (EU).
According to the annual pan-European cost of production analysis by BPEX, the cost in Britain fell by 7p/kg to 104.4p/kg because of lower feed prices and improved performance, but these same factors led to lower costs in other countries. The EU average was now 94.5p/kg, whereas the cost in Brazil was 53p/kg, and in Canada and the US, 61p/kg.
Mick Sloyan, BPEX chief executive, said: "It is encouraging to see that the efforts being made by British pig producers to invest in better herd health and improved competitiveness are paying off.
"However, this report clearly highlights that we have to continue to bridge the gap with our major European competitors."
The BPEX figures show that carcase meat produced per sow in Great Britain was 1.44t in 2005, significantly below the overall average of 1.84t. Nevertheless, British pigs were getting heavier - carcase meat per sow had risen from 1.35t in 2002.
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