Pig farmer members of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) will renew protest action today (Tuesday, May 10) at four processer sites around the country.

The association says that its Pig Committee has “intensified its campaign to ensure that the price paid for pigs reaches €2/kg by June 1”.

The protesters have targeted four locations across the country this morning to “seek commitments for price increases”.

The protests have been in place since around 6:00a.m this morning.

The actions are taking place at Carty Meats in Athlone, Co. Westmeath; Pilgrims in Shillelagh, Co. Wicklow; Oakpark Foods in Cahir, Co. Tipperary; and Connolly Pork and Bacon, Co. Monaghan.

IFA pig chairperson Roy Gallie said this morning that farmers in this sector “are at breaking point”.

“It’s now or never for them. We are losing €50 per pig sold and this has been the case for far too long. We need pig farmers to survive to fill the supermarket shelves,” Gallie added.

In a message circulated to committee members, Gallie further noted: “We need €2/kg from the market place, a 30c/kg increase by the end of the month, otherwise the industry is in jeopardy of extinction and there won’t be Irish pigmeat on the shelves.

“This initial €2/kg ask is to bridge the 50c/kg gap to breakeven, which is now around€2.25/kg according to Teagasc. Pig farmers are now only getting 12% of the price [consumers] pay for ham.

“Who gets the rest? Processors or supermarkets? If the consumer wants Irish pigmeat then we must be paid a fair price for it. We’re purely about price and the survival of the sector,” the IFA pig chair added.

It is understood that the protesters are preventing trucks and vans from leaving or entering the processor sites, thereby stopping deliveries or collections. However, they are not preventing the movement of processor staff.

The protesters intend to be in place for “many hours or possibly overnight until a satisfactory outcome is reached”.

They are being asked not to enter into talks with processor representatives at their site without consulting with protesters at the other sites.

The action today follows a protest at Carroll Cuisine in Tullamore, Co. Offaly last week, in which the IFA “got assurances that [Carroll Cuisine] are going to do their best” on price.