Pig Farmers Coping with Increased Maintenance Cost

Increased feeding prices, praedial larceny, and the threat of the African Swine Flu are challenges pig farmers are facing in Jamaica. Consequently, pig farmers have hiked the price of pork as a way of overcoming the growing challenges.

To get a better understanding of the current pig farming landscape, our news team visited the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association’s 19th Annual General Meeting in Clarendon recently. Since being put on alert for the African Swine Flu, pig farmers across the island have been taking caution to preserve their livestock. The Ministry of Agriculture continues to work with farmers to prevent it from reaching Jamaican shores because of its devastating effects. Farmers are aware of the danger and are using biosecurity measures to protect their passels.

With the African swine flu, not an imminent threat, farmers are tackling the challenge of increased cost in maintaining their pigs. The cost of feeding has gone up significantly, causing farmers to raise the selling price of their meat. In addressing this issue, the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association President Hanif Brown says that farmers should get some financial return from the government

Though farmers have had to increase the selling prices, they have not lost business. Some even see an increase in demand for pork.

Reporter: Jhanielle Powell.