Plea as too many pigs go to market

LOCAL pig farmers are appealing to Tasmanians to buy locally grown product as an over supply of Australian pork is pushing producers to the brink.

Pork prices have dropped to their lowest levels for decades and Tasmanian producer Allan Broomby said farmers had matched their supply levels with demand but competing with mainland products was a challenge.

“A lot of people probably don’t know that the pork they’re buying, even from their local butcher, might not be from Tasmania,” said Mr Broomby, who runs Winkleigh Farm at Exeter.

“Most of us have got our regular orders, but at the moment there is a temptation there for butchers to just buy in the products they need in boxes rather than purchasing a whole carcass.”

The glut was caused by producers lifting production when demand for pork increased as lamb and beef prices rose.

Cheap imports are also contributing to the over supply.

Mr Broomby said he had reduced production by about 10 per cent and across the industry tough decisions would have to be made.

“When the prices get down below the cost of production that’s not sustainable and that’s what’s happening in some of those big mainland operations,” he said.

Tasmania only has about six commercial pork producers and a number of smaller niche market free-range operations.

Read more in Tasmanian Country — out tomorrow