Pig aid scheme opens in Northern Ireland

Pig producers in Northern Ireland who have been financially impacted by sharply increasing input costs are to receive a much-needed boost. 

The £1.6m support scheme from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) opened for applications on Tuesday 7 February.

Payments will be based on the number of pigs born and reared in Northern Ireland and marketed by producers through a Northern Ireland processing plant from 1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022.

See also: Find all the latest pig prices in one place 

They will be set at £6.10 a pig slaughtered – including those that are totally condemned, dead on arrival or under/overweight at the province’s three abattoirs – with a maximum payment of £54,000 per farm business.

Businesses eligible for a payment have been identified, and Daera has written to them directly with advice on how to apply.

‘Cashflow’

The opening of the scheme, which was originally announced last November, has been welcomed by farm leaders.

Ulster Farmers Union deputy president John McLenaghan said the funding would help cover the financial losses pig producers have endured in past months due to market volatility and soaring input costs.

“Although the support scheme will not be enough to cover all the losses incurred for pig producers, it will help with cashflow, supporting both our family farms and the Northern Ireland pork industry.”

Market values for finished pigs actually improved strongly during 2022, and have reached record levels in recent weeks.

The EU-spec standard pig price (SPP) stood at 204.8p/kg deadweight at the end of January, compared with 138p/kg deadweight a year previously.

But the National Pig Association says this is still below the cost of production for most producers, with high costs wiping out any profits.

• The closing date for applications to the NI scheme is Tuesday 21 February 2023.
• More information on the Exceptional Costs Pig Scheme.