The Irish Farmers Association has accused Dunnes Stores and other retailers of killing the Irish pig industry by using pig meat as a loss leader.
The association says that supermarkets have the pig industry in a stranglehold that is choking the livelihoods of producers.
At a protest by pig farmers outside the Dunnes Stores head office in Dublin, IFA president Padraig Walshe said pork, bacon and ham are being used by retailers as a loss leader to attract customers in an ongoing battle over market share.
Mr Walshe said farmers cannot produce two for the price of one. He said Irish pig producers are losing over €25 per pig and have been making losses on every pig sold for the last eight months.
He said the average Irish pig farmer has now built up losses of €100,000 and the industry is facing bankruptcy with accumulated losses of over €42m at producer level.
Mr Walshe claimed there is a massive abuse of power by retailers in the food chain.
