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Call to support pork industry

Posted on November 18, 2008, 9:09am and updated on November 18, 2008 at 8:15 pm

Christmas ham

James Street Meats butchers Matthew Fox and Jim Thompson hold up two Christmas hams.

The state’s pork industry has called on the South East community to continue supporting the sector this Christmas, despite prices soaring for the festive staple.

The skyrocketing prices are being fuelled by a drop in production following a 40pc exodus of producers from the troubled industry over the past two years.

According to new figures, it is understood 800 pig producers from an industry of 2000 producers have left the industry in the past two years, after battling rising costs and a flood of cut-priced imports.

While producers claim pork will still be cheaper than turkey and some cuts of red meat, some fear a leg of ham could become a luxury on the Christmas table this year for some consumers.

Murray Bridge producer Sharon Starick said the pig industry across the state had experienced a “very tough” year because of rising grain prices and large amounts of imports.

She said this triggered many producers to leave the industry, resulting in a substantial drop in pigs being slaughtered and produce coming onto supermarket and butcher shelves.

“The demand is currently greater than supply,” Ms Starick said.

However, she urged consumers to continue to support the pork industry, claiming pork was still significantly cheaper than some other meats.

“With the greater demand for Christmas, the supply just isn’t there,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mount Gambier butcher Dion Lawrence — who runs James Street Meats — said prices were rising by 20 cents per kilogram with each new order he made.

“That’s huge in regards to pork,” Mr Lawrence said.

But he said he was going to offer legs of ham at the same prices as last year to buffer the affect on his customers this Christmas.

“I am prepared to wear the losses for our customers,” said Mr Lawrence, who explained his store only sold Australian produced pork meats.

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