While in the 2009-2010 campaign  about 620,000 pigs were certified  as Acorn Iberian ones, this campaign has fallen below 500,000 heads.The producers of pure Iberian pigs stand at a 20% decrease in the number of pigs that entered montanera -time when pigs feed on acorns in the field- which began last November and has almost finished in the producing areas.

The technical secretary of the Spanish Association of Pig Breeders of Select purebred Iberian and Iberian Trunk (AECERIBER), Elena Diéguez, explained that the 2010-2011 campaign has an «upper- middle» quality and a «greatly reduced» production if it is compared to previous years.

Diéguez has detailed that whereas in the 2009-2010 campaign  620,000 Acorn Iberian pigs were certified, this Acorn Iberian campaign has decreased by 20%, to below  500,000 heads.

Regarding prices, she ensured that higher ones were expected, considering that production has been reduced and that the campaign has enough acorns and grass for fattening to be held in optimal conditions.

As she pointed out, production prices covered under origin denominations have been around 25 euros / arroba (11.5 kilos), while the rest have been lower, to 21 euros / arroba.

It is important not to forget thast currently it is more difficult to sell pure Acorn Iberian products than bait Iberian ones due to the difference in their prices.

Moreover, it is important to protect unique productions that have no other European Union countries. The Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM) is going to implement a new screening program Iberian pig herd book with tools and genetic markers of production, an initiative expected to be ready before summer.