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Pig farmers protest over cheap imports

The mass protest planned for Immingham Docks, on the south bank of the Humber estuary, follows lobbying of parliament and complaints that supermarket pressure is forcing meat producers out of business.

Pig farming leaders say that they are losing out against cheap imports because they ensure high standards of welfare for their animals and will only use certain types of feed.

The National Farmers' Union has estimated that the average pig farmer is losing between £8 and £10 per animal because prices offered by the supermarkets do not meet rearing costs.

British pig farmers have also invested heavily in recent years on better housing for their animals in anticipation of impending European Commission regulations, the NFU says.

But the strong pound coupled with lower prices is leaving the industry "battered from all sides", says the union.

The farmers argue that they are a special case in agriculture because they have never sought public subsidy for their previously successful sector.

Wednesday's protest at Immingham, one of the UK's largest volume ports, will be led by the farmers from Yorkshire and Humberside.

They will be joined by colleagues from around the country to protest at cheap pig meat coming through the port from Holland and Denmark.

Graham England, chairman of the NFU's Pig Committee, said: "British pig farmers are facing some of the most difficult times in living memory.

"They are being hit by the effects of high interest rates and the strong pound making their product uncompetitive with imported pigmeat, while pushing down prices domestically."

Parliamentary debate

Last month the NFU led a delegation to lobby ministers over the issue, arguing that their 100,000 tonnes of annual exports are important to the British economy.

Agriculture minister Elliot Morley welcomed the high standards of British pig farming and called on retailers to examine their buying policies.

NFU President Ben Gill said: "We have real fears that if the suffering being felt by this sector is not alleviated then British pig meat will no longer be around to form our world famous British bangers and mash."

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