But slightly tempering all of this was news yesterday that pork prices have been increased by seven per cent in Tesco retail outlets throughout the UK.

According to Grampian Country Foods' managing director Hugh McReynolds where one retailer leads the others should follow - and this is only the start, he stressed.

"If Tesco were to increase their shop prices by 10% across all the product ranges we supply to them, this would translate into an increased producer price of only one penny per kilo. Each one of the multiples must play its part in recognising the increased costs of production now being incurred by every pig farmer," said Mr McReynolds.

"But above all else pig producers, feed compounders and processers must now stick together to ensure that retailers play their part in delivering realistic prices right along the entire pig production and processing chain. Back in 1996, the industry let the retailers off the hook," he added.

Mr McReynolds said that farmers needed an extra twenty five to thirty pence per kilo for their pigs in order to fully compensate for the recent hike in feed costs. The confirmation that pork prices are starting to rise in the shops is welcome news.

Source: FarmingLife