Agriculture, Estonia, Investments, Legislation, Markets and Companies

"Although this is not our number one priority, we cannot rule out investing money in the advancement of the pigmeat industry and also carrying out projects in conjunction with different parties in the future," the chairman of the Estonian Pig Growers Association, Urmas Laht, said at a press conference in his answer to a question from BNS.

In addition to standing up for the interests of the sector in negotiations with the government, the association wishes to promote the consumption of pigmeat produced in Estonia.

"While at this point we are able to meet only 70% of the Estonian demand for pigmeat, we will be working toward this ratio to be 100%. Besides we will inform the public about the companies and brands that are selling imported pigmeat as a domestic product," Laht said.

He said that since compared with neighbors pigmeat producers in Estonia are operating under unequal competitive conditions, standing up for the interests and rights of pig producers is of utmost importance.

The CEO of Atria Eesti and manager of its pig producing arm Atria Farmid, Olle Horm, said an association set up by rival industries is not the most usual thing and demonstrates first and foremost how difficult a situation the sector has found itself in.

The board of the Estonian Pig Growers Association is made up of Urmas Laht, chairman of the supervisory board of the Estonian Pig Breeding Association, Teet Soorm, board chairman of AS Rakvere Farmid, and Olle Horm, manager of Atria Farmid OU.