Pork prices have risen sharply in recent months, while milk prices have seen the opposite trend.
In February, the average selling price of pork products was 163.5 euros per 100 kilograms. A year earlier, the average price was only 79.3 euros.
The increase is justified by “the very deep crisis” from which pig farmers are emerging, says Nele Kempeneers, spokesperson for Boerenbond, a Flemish farmers’ union. They were faced with high costs for feed and energy, while swine fever was also rampant. Some farmers had even given up, which has resulted in a reduced supply.
Related News
- Supermarket inflation in Belgium reaches highest level ever
- Belgium told to freeze prices for 100 basic products for three months
Vegetables and milk
Vegetables have also become much more expensive. Average selling prices for cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes rose by 57%, 43% and 67% respectively.
“For vegetables grown in greenhouses, the effect of high energy prices and fertiliser prices, plays a role. This explains why some producers have chosen not to grow them for a while and why the supply is therefore too low,” says Kempeneers. “But the greenhouses have restarted, so the price levels will change.”
Belgium will also come out of a period of high milk prices according to the farmers’ union.
The world market has experienced a period of high demand and a short of supply, but stocks have now been replenished. China, for example, is importing much less. Production has also increased, and thanks to green spring grass, the cows produce more milk.
