The report, commissioned by the Scottish Government, also states that as a result, the cost of pig production in the UK is 12 per cent higher than the European average and more than 60 per cent higher than production in North and South America.

Mr Lochhead said:
"The majority of pigs in the U.K., including those in Scotland, are kept to a higher welfare standard than elsewhere in the EU and other countries. This increases the cost of production relative to those in exporting countries.

"I commissioned FAWC to look into industry concerns arising from this. Their initial findings are extremely useful and vindicate many of the views expressed to me by the Scottish industry.

"The report will inform the Scottish Government's work to support a sustainable pig sector and feed into our response to the Pig Industry's Taskforce report and the forthcoming report on the strategic review of the sector being conducted by QMS.

"I plan to speak to industry representatives in connection with the report's contents in the near future. It is also my intention to send this report to the retailers in due course seeking their views on these findings."