Farmers 'losing £20 per pig'

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MPs have called on the government to pressure retailers to give pig farmers a fair price for their produce.

At environment questions today Dr Daniel Poulter (Con, Central Suffolk and North Ipswich) said that figures released by the NFU show that farmers are losing £20 per pig, while retailers are making a profit of £100 per pig.

He called on ministers to put pressure on retailers to pay a fair price.

Defra minister James Paice said the pig industry is facing a series of challenges such as the "very high costs of feed stuffs".

He said it is incumbent on retailers if they want to be able to supply British pig meat in years to come to support farmers now, during this "very difficult period".

Natascha Engel (Lab, NE Derbyshire) asked what help is there for pig farmers to cope with rising oil costs.

Paice said pig farming been outside government involvement for many decades and energy prices a major problem "across all of agriculture".

Richard Bacon (Con, South Norfolk) said Tesco customers would be surprised to learn of the "disgusting animal welfare" of their imported meat.

He praised Morrisons for only selling British meat.

Paice said he is "not getting into internicine welfare" between supermarkets, but consumers must be informed and that is why Defra is "keen on counrty of origin labelling".

Environment secretary Caroline Spelman was asked about EU nations seeking to delay new rules banning battery cages for laying hens.

In 1999 European Union farm ministers have agreed to outlaw battery hen cages from 2012.

Spelman said while some member states are asking for more time, any delay would be "grossly unfair" to UK producers who have already made changes to their farming methods.

Henry Smith (Con, Crawley) asked if the ban would extend to products derived from eggs laid by battery hens.

Spelman said it is very important that liquid and dried egg products have clear provenance.

She added that many farmers made the investment to get rid of battery cages and the deadline must be kept to.

David Davies (Con, Monmouth) asked what will happen if other EU nations are exempted.

Spelman said the EU commission can threaten member states but that will not be enough.

"We suggested an intra-community trade ban on eggs from conventional cages after the deadline," she told MPs.

She said new member states had known for ten years that this change was coming.

Jim Fitzpatrick (Lab, Poplar and Limehouse) asked when Defra plans to announce its policy on wild animals in circuses.

Paice said the policy is "very close to completion".

Fitzpatrick said that was "a very disappointing response to groups like RSPCA, Born Free and the Animal Defenders International".