Pig producers are edging closer to a major crisis as staff shortages hit pork production, causing backlogs on farms and gaps on supermarket shelves, the sector has warned.
Major pork processors are cutting throughput - some by up to 25% - meaning producers are once again having to keep pigs on farm for longer than would usually be the case.
The shortage is being driven by a combination of the new stricter rules on EU workers coming to the UK, furlough and the expansion of jobs in other sectors.
The ‘pingdemic’ has also resulted in more than 600,000 people per week being told to isolate by the NHS Test and Trace app.
The National Pig Association (NPA) said it was seeking 'urgent action' from the UK government to help alleviate the issues.
The industry body warned that labour shortages were being felt across the entire pig sector, including on farms.
Processing plants have been reporting absenteeism of 10-16% even before Covid absences, which the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) said was now accounting for, in some cases, a further 5-10% of staff that were self-isolating.
NPA chief executive, Zoe Davies warned that in some pork plants it was reaching 'critical stage', with production being cut by a quarter.
"Pigs are being ‘rolled’ into the following week, meaning backlogs are starting to build on farms," Ms Davies said.
She warned that it was not just a short-term issue resulting from Covid self-isolation, but also from a lack of staff from the European Union.
“If this continues, it will only be a matter of weeks before we see serious problems on farms," she added.
"This is the last thing our members need as they are only just getting over the last backlog, which saw more than 100,000 pigs backed up on farm."
Despite demand for British pork currently strong, pork plants are struggling to meet it because they do not have enough people to do the work.
Ms Davies said this would lead to empty retail shelves, which was likely to result in more imports at a time when consumers were seeking British pork more than ever before.
The NPA, along with other industry bodies have been pressing the government to take steps to alleviate the shortages, but these calls 'have fallen on deaf ears'.
“The government is aware of the severity of the problem but appears unwilling to act,” Ms Davies said.
The NPA is encouraging pig producers to write to their MPs asking for ‘urgent intervention and action to help tackle the unique set of challenges that we face’.
More than 100,000 pigs were backed up on farm earlier this year due to a ‘perfect storm’ of events, including Brexit restrictions on exports, pork plant closures due to Covid and the suspension of exports to China.
The NPA said backlogs resulted in higher feeds prices and overweight penalties for producers, plus major logistical difficulties and potential welfare issues.
