Table 5 - Comparison of Hog Prices and Production Costs, Selected Countries, May
2002
|
Country________ |
Price/Kg |
Rank in |
Cost/Kg |
Rank in |
Feed Cost |
|
Japan_________ |
$ 1.97 |
1 |
$ 1.71 |
________23 |
$ 0.25 |
|
Taiwan________ |
$ 1.44 |
2 |
$ 1.15 |
________20 |
$ 0.20 |
|
Korea, Rep. of |
$ 1.39 |
3 |
$ 1.38 |
________21 |
$ 0.28 |
|
Mexico_______ |
$ 1.35 |
4 |
$ 0.99 |
_________14 |
$ 0.23 |
|
United Kingdom |
$ 1.33 |
5 |
$ 1.33 |
________22 |
$ 0.19 |
|
Australia________ |
$ 1.33 |
6 |
$ 0.86 |
__________9 |
$ 0.16 |
|
Philippines______ |
$ 1.31 |
7 |
$ 0.87 |
_________10 |
$ 0.22 |
|
Denmark______ |
$ 1.27 |
8 |
$ 0.90 |
__________11 |
$ 0.16 |
|
Belgium/ Lux. |
$ 1.25 |
9 |
$ 1.09 |
________18 |
$ 0.17 |
|
Netherlands |
$ 1.25 |
10 |
$ 1.09 |
_________17 |
$ 0.17 |
|
Germany______ |
$ 1.17 |
11 |
$ 1.06 |
_________16 |
$ 0.15 |
|
France________ |
$ 1.12 |
12 |
$ 1.04 |
_________15 |
$ 0.15 |
|
Italy_________________ |
$ 1.08 |
13 |
$ 1.15 |
_________19 |
$ 0.18 |
|
Czech Rep. |
$ 1.03 |
14 |
$ 0.92 |
_________13 |
$ 0.16 |
|
Poland________ |
$ 0.96 |
15 |
$ 0.90 |
_________12 |
$ 0.20 |
|
Spain__________ |
$ 0.94 |
16 |
$ 0.82 |
__________7 |
$ 0.19 |
|
Thailand________ |
$ 0.91 |
17 |
$ 0.72 |
__________4 |
$ 0.19 |
|
China_________ |
$ 0.87 |
18 |
$ 0.75 |
__________5 |
$ 0.16 |
|
United States |
$ 0.86 |
19 |
$ 0.84 |
__________8 |
$ 0.15 |
|
Canada______ |
$ 0.81 |
20 |
$ 0.82 |
__________6 |
$ 0.13 |
|
Chile_____________ |
$ 0.73 |
21 |
$ 0.63 |
__________3 |
$ 0.16 |
|
Brazil_____________ |
$ 0.61 |
22 |
$ 0.56 |
_________2 |
$ 0.15 |
|
Argentina_______ |
$ 0.57 |
23 |
$ 0.48 |
_____________1 |
$ 0.11 |
Source: PIC
E. Options
The following options are just afew examples of what could be done to
improve the competitiveness of Mexican hog producers, without resorting to
protectionist measures.
(1) Free trade for the entire production chain. Allowing Mexican hog
producers to import corn on an unrestricted basis would enable them to take
advantage of their proximity to the United States, one of the largest and most
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