Help demanded for pig farmers

ACTION is being called for from the SNP Government to urgently tackle the crisis facing pig farmers across the country and locally.

Those in the industry have warned that they are at “breaking point” after a dramatic fall in the prices they are receiving for pork since the start of the year, as well there being an over-supply of pork in Europe and facing continued increased production costs.

Port William pig farmer, Gregor Christie, has revealed he took a £70,000 hit in the first three months of 2026 - and the future looks uncertain.

He is a constituent of Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson, who is also the Scottish Conservative rural affairs spokesman.

And he has written to new Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin about the crisis and urging her to deliver immediate support to pig farmers and do all she can to protect food production.

Mr Carson says he accepts some of the crisis is due to factors outwith government control – such as the outbreak of swine flu in Europe – but says that SNP ministers cannot “sit on their hands” while more and more face the threat of having to close their farming operations.

Said the MSP: “Pig farmers, including those in my constituency, are suffering enormous losses and are now at breaking point.

“Many of them may be forced to shut family farms if this situation goes on for much longer, which would have a devastating impact in our rural communities.

“These first-hand accounts must be a wake-up call for SNP ministers who cannot sit on their hands. I will be continuing to urge them to take action to ease the pressure on our pig farmers who are so important to rural areas across Scotland.”