Summer drought to drive Swedish meat prices up
Swedish meat producers are struggling after the summer’s drought. And the farmer’s association is now pleading with consumers to buy Swedish meat – despite expected price increases.
The Farmer’s Association’s meat producers have calculated that the cost for a pig farmer has increased by SEK 4-5 per kilo, while a cattle farmer needs to count on SEK 9-15 more per kilo, and a sheep farmer SEK 12-26 more per kilo.
“It is not possible for each farmer to carry this high cost by themselves. So we need help from the consumers and it means that the cost could be between 6 and 9 percent higher when they buy the meat,” said Åsa Odell, pig farmer in Skåne, and president of the association’s meat producers.
The higher consumer prices are expected to last for about a year, although farmers will likely feel the repercussions for several years.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Global warming ‘pause’ about to end, raise Earth’s temperatures further, CBC News
Finland: Poor harvest caused by dry summer may force Finnish farmers to slaughter livestock, YLE News
Norway: Arctic Europe’s July records melted under extreme temperatures, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russian salmon farmers buy Norwegian smolt company, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Hot, arid summer guts a third of Sweden’s cereal harvest, Radio Sweden
United States: New farm bill program aims to fight food insecurity in Alaska, Alaska Public Media
