Slaughter of pigs: price transparency

16.4.2018

Question for written answer P-002153-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Tom Vandenkendelaere (PPE)

Agricultural organisations indicate that slaughterhouses are using announcements that they intend to reduce the slaughter of pigs to persuade pig farmers to deliver their animals quickly. This increases the supply, enabling slaughterhouses to force down the prices that they pay to farmers. As pig farmers have no information, they find themselves in an information vacuum. This gives large slaughterhouses considerable power to depress prices.

Will the Commission consider introducing a system comparable to that employed in the USA, where slaughter operations have to be reported twice a day?

Will the Commission consider requiring insemination to be reported?

Will the Commission consider any other measures to improve price transparency for pig farmers?