Minister meets IFA over pig farming crisis

The Minister visited Cavan last week.

The Agriculture Minister has met with the IFA to discuss ongoing issues in the pig sector.

Farmers have been vocal about stresses they are facing, with calls for a €100m injection into the sector. The IFA claims pig farmers have been haemorrhaging money in recent months.

READ: Local IFA reps meet Agriculture Minister to discuss pig crisis.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State Martin Heydon met with national IFA representatives late on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing market issues in the pig sector, which is concentrated in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Cork.

Commenting following the meeting, Minister McConalogue said: "I am acutely aware of the challenges facing our pig sector and I am working to help support farm families and their businesses as much as possible. The industry is undoubtedly under pressure and I, as well as Minister Heydon and the rest of the Government, have acted to support pig farmers throughout this challenging period."

He said the recently announced Pig Exceptional Payment Scheme (PEPS) has a total fund of up to €7 million. The maximum payment under this scheme is €20,000.

Payments have already started issuing to applicants.

The Minister said he has also met with the banking sector regarding the current situation.

“I have also met with the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) on the possibility of developing a suitable instrument to manage market volatility.

Minister of State Martin Heydon T.D. said: “Through the Pig Roundtable and ongoing bilateral engagements we have been in constant communication with all stakeholders throughout this unprecedented period of low prices and high input costs.”