Farming
By Neale McQuistin
Leading Scottish pig farmer Jamie Wyllie welcomed Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon on farm yesterday as the sector faces its worst crisis in a generation. The Cabinet Secretary was accompanied by local MSP Paul McLennan on the visit to one of several high health pig farms run by Mr Wyllie in East Lothian.
The stark message, from Mr Wyllie to the politicians, was that pig farms across the country are all operating at a substantial and growing loss. He estimates that losses of around £26 per pig in February 2021 have since deepened to more than £56 per pig. Overdrafts are rising at an alarming rate and several Scottish farmers have already sold off sows to cut losses.
The pig sector encountered significant disruption during the Covid pandemic which affected processing capacity and saw the partial closure of Scotland’s largest pig abattoir facility at Brechin. Several major retailers have continued to stock significant volumes of imported pork, undermining home production and the dramatic spike in animal feed prices, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has significantly increased the scale of current losses.
Speaking on behalf of NFU Scotland, Mr Wyllie thanked the Cabinet Secretary for the pig hardship scheme in Scotland, established following the Covid-driven closure of Brechin abattoir but called on her to consider further immediate, direct support for the sector to ensure a critical mass of production is preserved. He also asked for Scottish Government to consider an ‘ongoers’ loan scheme to help financially support those who see their future in the industry.
Market round-up
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 983 prime and cast sheep at Newton Stewart yesterday.
The 749 prime hoggets averaged 242p/kg (+3p) or £110. Top prices were £123 for a pen of heavyweight Lleyns and 273p/kg for a pen of Beltex. Blackface hoggets sold to £120 for a pen of heavyweights, while lightweight hoggets peaked at 264p. The 294 Blackfaces averaged 243p or £107. Cast Sheep remain a strong trade and peaked at £150 for a Texel cross ewe. Blackface ewes sold to £130 for a pen of 11, while Mules peaked at £127.
C&D Auction Marts sold 76 cattle at its sale of primestock in Dumfries yesterday. Prime cattle peaked at 270p/kg for a heifer, while steers sold to 228p. Cast cows sold to £1,421 and 196p/kg to average 135p for dairy types, while beef types peaked at £1,235 and 168p to average 145p.There were also 688 prime hoggets that sold to £135 for heavyweights and to 284p/kg for lighter types. Cast sheep maintained recent high rates. Heavy ewes (238) sold to £180 and averaged £120, while 199 light ewes peaked at £118 to average £90.
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