Conferences Examine Pig Price Variation
14 October, 2003
Wide variation in the price paid to producers for pigs is one of the key topics at the Teagasc annual pig conferences which take place from Monday 20th to Wednesday 22nd October.
Pat Tuite, Senior Pig Adviser with Teagasc, will outline the results of a pig price survey carried out in August, which showed a confusing range of bonuses and allowances. The results point to a need for greater transparency in the pricing structure operated by meat plants and are likely to be a major talking point for producers.
The conferences, which get underway in Longford on Monday, 20 October and continue in Kilkenny on Tuesday, 21 October and Kanturk on Wednesday, 22 October, are taking place against a backdrop of continuing difficulty in pigmeat markets. Olivia Slevin of Bord Bia will outline the trends in pig numbers and markets while Michael Martin of Teagasc will assess how production costs can be further pared.
The conferences will also be addressed by leading US pig scientist, Malachy Young of Kansas State University and by a range of leading Teagasc research and advisory staff on pig production and welfare. Producers will also hear a report on the Danish pig industry, the second largest exporter in the world, from Teagasc Adviser, Jim Finn who has just returned from a visit to Denmark.
The following are the venues for the three conferences:
Monday, 20 October Longford Arms Hotel, Longford
Tuesday, 21 October Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny
Wednesday, 22 October Duhallow Park Hotel, Kanturk
All conferences run from 2.30pm to 6pm.
