Quebec hogs are more costly

A government report has found that Quebec’s hog industry is far less competitive than Ontario, averaging a production cost of $306 per hog compared with $257 in Ontario.

The leadership of DuBreton company blames a combination of the provincial hog marketing board and government income insurance for the situation.

It also repeated complaints that the marketing board makes it difficult for specialty and niche-market producers and processors such as DuBreton to compete.

The industry is dominated by a farm co-operative that owns Olymel hog-production and hog-processing company.

Within the last year, the marketing board and Olymel have both drastically down-sized the Quebec hog industry.

The report from the provincial ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food said hogs are 19 per cent more expensive in Quebec than Ontario.

In the past Ontario has complained about unfair competition from Quebec, pointing to generous income supports funded by the province.