Appeal to the government for similar help as in the catering trade. Both livestock areas with losses in the millions.
Pig and cattle farmers complain of “enormous damage” from the corona pandemic. They call on the federal government to provide similar assistance for their industry, such as that provided for the catering industry.
According to our calculations, pig farmers and associated producer groups “had to accept sales losses of around 50 million euros this year due to the necessary measures to limit the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Walter Lederhilger, chairman of the Association of Austrian Pig Farmers (VÖS). The price slump caused by the current lockdown increases the losses by millions more.
“1.5 million euros per week are already certain, and we fear several million euros per week in addition until spring 2021,” said Lederhilger in a broadcast on Thursday.
According to ARGE-Rind chairman Josef Fradler, cattle keepers also posted sales losses of around 19 million euros in the pandemic and the associated lockdowns – mainly due to the closure of the catering trade and the difficult export situation. “This price pressure will become even more acute in spring 2021 due to the current lockdown and the uncertain market situation facing cattle farmers in the next few months,” fears the cattle farmer representative. “We ask the government to take measures that are as fast and effective as in the catering industry for our sector in order to avert the existence-threatening situation for our domestic businesses.”
