Chronicle Editor
A colleague of mine who is an emerging but passionate pig producer was stressed during the week because she lost five six-week-old piglets within a space of three days.
This was from a litter of 12 piglets.
Apparently, her piglets succumbed to scours. She was stressed because in a few more weeks she could have sold those five piglets, now as weaners for US$80 each, which means she had lost US$400.
What struck me most and perhaps inspired this article is how far and wide pig producers are. I was trying to think of pig farmers who I could consult on how to rectify this challenge which was affecting her production unit and halt the economic haemorrhage that comes with such mortalities in a production enterprise.
I am a livestock farmer first and specialist second, which means I believe first in the practical solutions of the farmer who has been doing it successfully before I can consult literature for theoretical answers. I struggled to remember any pig producers that are close that I know. I cannot say that for cattle, goats or chickens. Producers in these value chains are many and the value chains are established and continue to grow.
I wonder if we can say the same about pig production. Is it a dying enterprise? Will the value chain fold and pack up soon? Should we not be putting our heads together to save this once thriving value chain?
What has gone wrong within the pig production value chain? Have we converted a majority of our population into anti-pork consumption religious sects? These are the questions that raced through my mind as I searched for answers to solve my colleague’s challenge.
I eventually got hold of one farmer and two veterinary colleagues and their answers converged and that congruence of possible remedies made the decision easier and when it was implemented, the problem stopped and no further mortalities were recorded.
While pig farmers could be far and wide, suffice to say there are some areas of Matabeleland North Province that have been traditional pig producing areas and there is still a remnant of these farmers dotted around the region mostly doing subsistence pig production.
The call therefore, is to revive this important agriculture value chain, if anything for both nutritional and economic benefits. There is presently an under supply of pork in the market which means the price to the producer will remain good for some time until the market gets to saturation levels, which is unlikely to be anytime soon.
Out of 10 butcheries that you will visit, only one may have pork in its shelves. This is not a sign of market resistance but market starvation of the product. Basic economics will concur with me that when the market is starved of a product, the price tends to be good.
I know there is a Government parastatal responsible for pig production in the country, this pen calls for the capacitation of this important entity in terms of human and financial resources to be able to champion the growth of the pig production value chain.
This is a value chain which has real potential to transform economic fortunes of many farmers across the country. It simply cannot be left to just wilt and die. In fact, considering the inevitable continuous decrease in land available for agriculture due to increase in human population, one would posit that pig production and other livestock value chains that are more intensive as opposed to extensive in production, will become natural options.
In your one-hectare peri-urban plot you can successfully produce large numbers of pigs but you will not be able to produce goats or cattle because the land is simply too small. Peri-urban extension should focus in promoting such enterprises as pork production which do not demand large pieces of land.
However, feed costs will become a hindrance in a place where you are not able to grow your own feed hence the need to have a cheaper source of grain for example. To the new farmers especially those that need to be in town and doing livestock production at the same time, I would say if you have a piece of land close by, please get into pork production and occupy the yawning gap in the market.
Uyabonga umntaka MaKhumalo. Mhlupheki Dube is a livestock specialist and farmer. He writes in his own capacity. Feedback [email protected]/ cell 0772851275
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