The UK's pig producers are warning that a shortage of workers is causing a surplus of pigs to be stuck at farms.
Trade body the National Pig Association (NPA) said some abattoirs were running 25% below usual capacity. "If the government doesn't do something soon there will be a lot of perfectly healthy pigs on farms that will have to be destroyed," said Zoe Davies, chief executive of the NPA.
Each week, the number of excess pigs is growing by 15,000, the NPA said.
The shortage of workers in processing plants means they are unable to take in as many pigs to process as they normally would - resulting in too many pigs on farms. Having to house the pigs for longer, while they grow at a rate of a kilo each day, is having a severe impact on the profitability of the farms, according to the NPA.
The industry body said extra costs of feed and abattoir charges for overweight pigs means many farms are operating at a loss. READ MORE
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