Taiwan’s pig farmers are feeling the pinch, as a recent uptick in feed prices hits their profit margins.
Pig farmers in Taiwan are not having a good time. They’re starting to feel the pinch of inflation. As prices for feed like corn and soybeans rise, pigs are literally eating into farmers’ profits. That’s because unlike other commodities, pork prices have largely stayed the same. So farmers’ costs are going up, but their revenue is staying steady, meaning they’re making less money, if they’re making it at all.
Farmer You Jin-ke says feed costs have risen by around 60%.
Last June wholesale pork prices hit around US$3 per kg, an all-time high in Taiwan. By mid-February though, prices tanked to around US$2.18 per kg. Now, pork sits at about US$2.63 per kg, which isn’t enough for farmers to turn a profit.
You says that many farmers are giving up raising pigs altogether.
Pig farmers are scaling back production in an attempt to drive up the prices. Taiwan’s Agriculture Affairs Council is offering incentives for feed crop producers to ramp up production. Because if those feed prices don’t come down, pig farmers won’t be able to bring home the bacon.