Poultry industry needs support
UK - The UK chicken industry will not survive unless it gets a substantial price rise from retail customers, industry leaders have claimed.A new report, prepared jointly by the NFU and British Poultry Council, maintains that most poultry meat businesses are making a loss of over 6p/kg, or £25,000 a flock per year.
With each chicken farmer typically rearing six flocks a year, the sector needs a rise of 12p/kg to maintain the long-term viability of farm-assured Red Tractor chicken.
"This is a really critical time for the poultry industry," said NFU president Peter Kendall, launching the report British Chicken - What Price?
at this week's British Pig and Poultry Fair at Stoneleigh.
He said as product prices were squeezed and input costs soared, farmers were unable to modernise and invest.
"If we don't get some form of commitment throughout the food chain to get better returns for poultry farmers, we will see very long-term damage to this sector."
Source: FWi
18 May 2006
1 minute read
