Page 11 of articles about costs in Swine news

A promotional campaign launched by the Council of Agriculture (COA) to stimulate sales of locally produced pork kicked off last week.

The aim of this report is to improve understanding by setting out the latest progress towards implementation and enforcement of the regulations and by developing scenarios for the market situation both before and after implementation.

Prices increased for milk (9.2%), poultry (8.5%), cattle (8%), equines (7.2%), sheep and goats (5.2%) and pigs (4.4%) but decreased for eggs (-4.7%).

EU production is expected to decline (-1%) due to poor profitability in past years and the need for investments.

China’s potential to affect the world pork market derives from the size and volatility of its domestic pork market.

Production is expected to reach 2 327 million tonnes – up 4.6 million tonnes from the last estimate in December.

A zero-duty tariff-rate quota for 70,000 MT of fresh and frozen pork bellies and pork for processing is opened from January 1- March 31.

Prices for piglets fell even as prices for fattening pigs rose.

The forecast of grain exports from Russia became increased to the level of 27 mln tonnes.

The European Parliament published last January 19 a Resolution on the farm input supply chain in which it calls on the Commission and Member States to improve the transparency of farm input prices.

Average farm business income is forecast to have fallen 20 percent on specialist pig farms over the year March 2011 to February 2012, according to Defra's farm business income forecasts.

Teagasc pigs specialist Michael McKeon said that profitability in the pig sector is set to be restored in 2012 as pig prices rise and the cost of feed decreases.

The FAO Meat Price Index averaged 179 points, slightly down compared with November. The decline was mainly driven by pig meat, whose price dropped by 2.2 percent

The medium-term prospects for EU cereal markets are characterised by tight market conditions, low stock levels and prices remaining above long term averages.

The investment of $294,500 under the CAAP will provide tools, coordination and funds to initiate small-scale projects for controlling and eradicating PRRS.

A weakening of the highs of 2011 in the price of grain is anticipated, but is unlikely to reach the levels of 2008/09