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"We'll probably be completely out of pig farming in a month's time. Liquidation plans were in the meanwhile hampered by our falling into the red [third] African swine fever control zone, and sale and slaughter of our pigs was banned," Tartu Agro board member Aavo Molder told BNS.

Out of the company's herd of 5,500 pigs, 600 remained by the beginning of October, Molder noted. "By the end of this month they'll probably number 300 and by January 1 we definitely shall not have a single pig," he said.

The company received 388,507 euros under a support program intended for easing the situation of pig farmers that ended in October. The activities covered by the support were connected with ending pig farming, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Rural Affairs said.

Last year Tartu Agro produced 1,023 tons of pig meat measured in live weight and earned one million euros most of which came from the sale of live pigs to Lithuania. The company's own meatpacking plant used 141 tons of pork, it appears from the annual report.

In the first phase of exiting pig farming the company started in August liquidation of its Ilmatsalu farm with 5,000 pigs and laid off its 13 workers.

Last year Tartu Agro's total turnover declined by 1.7% to 7.8 million euros but the previous year's net profit of 1.1 million euros turned into a net loss of 120,000 euros.

The purchase price of raw milk was at the end of 2014 38% lower than in January and the decline has continued, the annual report notes. "The purchase price of milk in the first quarter averaged 241 euros per ton, which no longer covers the production cost," the management said.

Tartu Agro invested 598,000 euros in fixed assets last year. No investments in fixed assets were planned for the current year owing to low selling prices.