The closure of bars and restaurants and lack of activity overseas has brought the sale of Mallorcan piglets and lambs to a complete standstill.
There’s been no agreement on the sale price for three weeks in Sineu market, which farmers says is down to a plummet in demand that's caused the market to collapse.
Buyers say their freezers are full of piglets and lambs that they haven’t been able to sell and until they get rid of that stock they won’t be buying any more.
Farmers point out that restaurants usually buy pork and lamb because it's extremely popular with customers, but they’ve been forced to stay closed because of the coronavirus restrictions so they're not buying anything.
”The change in habits caused by the coronavirus pandemic has paralysed the market,” says Unió de Pagesos member, Jaume Pocoví.
Ramades Agrupats Manager, Margalida Obrador says the Sector has been in constant decline since the declaration of the State of Emergency last March and that the situation has been worse in recent weeks because no market price has been agreed.
Obrador says that despite that the Felanitx cooperative can maintain the price of piglets, but that the price of the lamb has fallen.
"Farmers have been in crisis for a long time and this situation will cause even more to remove animals and close their farms," she predicts.
Stiff competition from the Peninsula and overseas is aggravating the situation and Mallorca can’t compete in a price war because production costs are much higher here.
Pocoví blames China for the soaring cost of raw materials.
"After overcoming swine fever, China has significantly increased its pig production and is importing raw materials for its animals from Europe and the growing demand from Asia has driven up prices.”
The Ministry of Agriculture says it's constantly monitoring the market and plans to launch campaigns so that large stores can market local products.