Britain's pork producers protest prices

LONDON, March 4 (UPI) -- Pork producers and industry workers in Britain demonstrated Tuesday in London to protest supermarkets' reluctance to increase the prices they pay for pork.

Pig farmers say they are losing more than $56 for every pig they sell, because feed prices have escalated and retailers haven't offered producers higher prices.

In the past year, pig feed prices have risen from $258 to $446 a ton, the Telegraph reported.

Stewart Houston, chairman of the British Pig Executive, said pork producers are being forced out of business and warned Britain could lose the industry altogether.

If losses continue "it will be too late to do anything about it," he said.

Pork producers intended to send a 13,000-signature petition to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

"We could soon be in the situation that British consumers may not be able to buy Quality Standard pork for much longer," Houston said.

Member of Parliament Richard Bacon, a Conservative from South Norfolk, called for government support to stop the erosion of the industry.

The motion calling for support, declares that 70 percent of the pork imported to Britain was produced in conditions that would be against the law in Britain, the report said.