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Pig farmers received a lot of mail from Migros last week. ‘Necessary adjustment for 2024’ was the title of the letter. The retailer announces that it wants to purchase ten percent fewer pigs this year that are kept according to IP-Suisse standards.
The news came as a surprise, says Raphael Helfenstein of Suisseporcs, the association of Swiss pig breeders and pork producers. And it is causing disillusionment among farmers. “This is a bad signal for animal welfare. And it is a step backwards for our farmers,” says Helfenstein. However, he also emphasizes that Migros remains the most important buyer of labeled pigs in Switzerland.
Meat is sold cheaper
Pork is the most popular meat in Switzerland. Every year, 2.4 million pigs are slaughtered in this country, more than half of which are kept according to the basic requirements of IP-Suisse. The label with the ladybug in the logo states that the animals have room to run and lie on the straw in the stable instead of on the bare concrete floor.
However, because consumer demand for labeled meat is much smaller than supply, a significant portion of labeled meat is not even sold as such. Every fifth biscuit or cutlet conventionally labeled actually contains label meat.
“We invest in animal welfare”
This is a problem for pig farmers. They produce more expensively, but get nothing out of it. Although animal welfare is becoming increasingly present and important in the public eye, it is hardly noticeable in the store. The share of labeled pork products is not increasing, but decreasing.
“We producers invest in animal welfare,” says Raphael Helfenstein of Suisseporcs. The retail sector shares the responsibility. “It can promote animal welfare and offset labeling rules in a way that is fair to the polluter.”
Migros denies redistribution
Migros justifies the adjustment with the changed eating habits of its customers. Pork consumption is actually declining, but only by more than one percent per year.
Moreover, according to Migros, customers are now paying more attention to price. “Because we have an above-average IP Suisse share of pork, we are forced to bring the quantities in line with conventional pork,” the retailer said when asked.
However, the number of conventionally bred pigs being slaughtered will not increase. Under no circumstances do they want farmers to be left with pigs due to overproduction, says spokesman Marcel Schlatter. He also emphasizes that the share of IP Suisse pork has grown considerably in recent years.
The federal government saves on animal welfare
The Swiss Fair Markets Association accuses the retailer of trying to save money at the expense of farmers and animal welfare. It was the club that drew attention to Migros’ announcement with a press release. The 10 percent reduction that Migros wants to purchase would correspond to approximately 40,000 pigs.
This is only a small part of the total number of pigs slaughtered annually. But it is still bad news for the affected pig farmers, says Helfenstein. Another. Three years ago, Coop significantly reduced the premium that farmers receive per IP Swiss pig. The federal government is also cutting back on animal welfare: contributions for animal-friendly stables were reduced by 15 to 20 percent at the beginning of this year.
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
