Pig virus clearing on P.E.I. farm

A case of porcine epidemic diarrhea reported on an Island hog farm last month is clearing up, and with prices going up the coming months should be good for the industry on the Island.

The hog virus is still affecting farms in the U.S., cutting into pork supplies on the continent, said Tim Seeber, executive director of the P.E.I. Hog Commodity Marketing Board. That in turn is bringing up prices.

"That was anticipated because of the number of hogs that have been lost in the United States," said Seeber.

"We expect that will likely hold through this year. Don't know how much beyond that, but the herd is not going to be rebuilt in the United States that fast because of the concerns of the disease, so I expect that we will see good pricing through the rest of this year, and possibly into 2015."

In the first week of January P.E.I. hog prices were $1.57 a kilogram. This week they are $2.23.

Seeber said the threat of the pig virus means there will still be heightened biosecurity measures at Island hog farms.