New Pig Purchase Price: Savior for Local Farmers or Just Another Illusion?
Is the new pig purchase price finally what local farmers have been waiting for?
The recent decision by the Union of Pig Breeders of Serbia and producers from Mačva and Bačka to recommend a purchase price of 260 dinars per kilogram of live weight with VAT sounds like a light at the end of the tunnel. But is this really the end of the domestic pig farming crisis or just another empty story?
Why is this price important?
Sanja Čelebićanin, president of the Union, clearly states that this price is the result of a detailed analysis of fattening costs and aims to increase the number of sows and reduce the import of piglets and pork. Last year, as much as 50 tons of chilled and frozen pork were imported, seriously threatening domestic producers.
Winter almost destroyed the farmers
Last winter, the price per kilogram of live weight was only 180 dinars, which caused losses and farmers quitting pig farming. This led to a shortage of fatteners and a setback in domestic pig farming. Now, with the new price of 260 dinars, farmers can finally cover costs and make a profit.
Will buyers respect the price?
Bora Šuljmanac, a farmer from Laćarka, supports the decision and emphasizes that farmers should stick to the recommended price and not sell below 260 dinars. But will buyers respect this price or continue to pressure producers as before, when they paid only 180 dinars per kilogram?
What does this mean for consumers?
The Union of Pig Breeders claims that this recommended purchase price will not affect the price increase of pork in butcher shops. Farmers currently sell fatteners at around 250 dinars per kilogram with VAT, meaning meat prices could remain stable.
Is this the end of imports?
Reducing the import of piglets and pork is one of the main goals of this measure. With domestic feed and knowledge, Serbia could become self-sufficient in pork production. But will this be enough to stop unfair competition from frozen imported meat?
Conclusion
The decision on the new purchase price is a step in the right direction, but the real battle is yet to come. Will farmers manage to survive and develop domestic production, or will imports continue to suffocate them? Time will tell.
And you? Do you think this price will save domestic pig farming or is it just another fairy tale? Drop a comment, let’s see who’s the optimist and who’s the realist!
Source: Blic, Union of Pig Breeders of Serbia
