Working group on the pigmeat industry

The pigmeat Industry Working Group, set up on the initiative of Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino, held its second meeting last month under the chairmanship of Dr Philip von Brockdorff, permanent secretary at the ministry.

This working group, whose primary aim is to formulate a strategy to strengthen the pigmeat industry in Malta, is made up of representatives of the FOI pork processing industry sector group, the Pig Breeders Co-operative (KIM), the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment, and private consultants engaged by Government.

Stefano Mallia of EMCS Limited was invited to deliver a presentation and, concurrently, presented a related document on a proposal for a collaborative model for the Maltese pork market.

Among the other topics that were discussed during the meeting were: progress on the centralised cutting and deboning plant; the supply of pork products; a proposal for a new price mechanism; the related adjustment period; and the involvement of other sectors of industry that would be indirectly interested in the successful development of the pigmeat industry.

FOI director-general Edwin Calleja, and John Muscat, managing director of Prime Co. Ltd, represented the FOI pork processing industry sector group at the meeting.