Northern Irish pig producers have welcomed a new £2 million support package as the war in Ukraine has pushed many in the sector to 'breaking point'.
The funding package has been announced for pig farmers who have been impacted by increased feed costs and weakened markets.
Northern Ireland's Department for Agriculture (DAERA) said the scheme was targeted at 'financially impacted' producers.
It comes against the backdrop of low pig prices, increasing feed costs, volatile markets and ongoing issues with getting pigs moved off the farm for slaughter.
After months of enduring these issues, the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) said the impact of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine had now "pushed them to breaking point".
The union said the new support package was 'needed greatly' and would help to alleviate some of the financial pressures.
UFU president Victor Chestnutt said: “We’ve been engaging with DAERA officials about the deteriorating state of the sector and are pleased that the Minister has recognised the vital need for this support.
“The new support scheme will help to deal with some of the losses already incurred on farm, but it’s important to stress that it will not cover the losses which our farmers continue to endure."
Since the war in Ukraine, the market price of feed has soared to levels not seen before. Because of this, the UFU warned pig industry was "hanging on a knife edge".
The union said a price increase was still needed from retailers to "ensure the security of the industry during this extremely difficult period".
Mr Chesnutt added: "If the sector collapses, our consumers will see a premium, local product disappearing from shop shelves, local food security will take a massive hit having a knock-on effect on rural communities and the NI economy.
“We are in dire need of retailers delivering an immediate increase in prices paid and consumers being understanding and supportive of that so that we can sustain our local pig sector.
"We’re all aware of how vulnerable global supplies have become, we need to be supporting local food production and helping to protect our food producers during these difficult times.”
It follows the National Pig Association's (NPA) call for retailers to boost the price they pay for pork to "save the British pig industry from total collapse" amid feed cost increases.
The trade body, which made its plea last week, urged UK supermarket chains to ensure they "pay enough to at least cover pig farmers’ costs of production".
It said this was "essential", not only to help ensure the survival of the British pig sector but, with EU pig numbers falling and prices rapidly rising, to maintain their supply of pork, bacon, sausages, ham and other pigmeat products to consumers.
