Dutch pig producers are losing money due to high
costs for feed and manure disposal, according to a Dutch agricultural newspaper.
Breeding pig farms in the Netherlands saw their incomes fall in 2006, while
slaughter pig producers earned the same as in 2005, according to provisional
figures.
Average producer prices for piglets and slaughter pigs
reached the highest level for five year, but this was not enough to offset the
increased production costs. Dutch pig producers paid 125% more for manure
disposal in 2006 than in 2005, while feed prices were up by between 2.5% and
7.2%.
Less net returnDutch accountancy firm Abab
estimates that the average producer price for Dutch slaughter pigs in 2006 was
€1.39 per kilo slaughterweight (up 6% on 2005). The net return when costs were
deducted was minus €2.00/kg. In 2005 this figure was minus €3.00/kg. In the
breeding pig sector, the average net return fell by 31.5% to €61 per sow. On
closed farms, the return per sow fell by 5.8% to €276.
Better technical performance
Pig breeding farms obtained
an average price for piglets of €46.51 last year (5% up on 2005). However, this
added to the costs of the slaughter pig concerns. The technical performance of
the farms surveyed improved significantly last year. Sows gave birth to an
average of 24.1 piglets, an increase of 0.6 over 2005.
To receive the
PigProgress newsletter click
here.
by
Editor PigProgress
Mar 9, 2007