Windhoek
Namibian producers were yesterday reassured that the recent outbreak of African swine fever in South Africa will not have a severe impact on the Namibian market as Namibian producers deliver more than 70 percent of pork to the local market.
Vice-chairperson of the Namibian Pig Producers Association William Bosch told New Era at a members’ meeting and information day in Windhoek yesterday that the borders are expected to be closed for South African pork products for at least six months.
“Consumers can expect less pork products on the shelves in days to come but we don’t foresee a shortage. We are geared for what is to come,” he noted.
African swine fever resulted in the immediate suspension of the importation of live pigs and raw pork from South Africa on June 14 until the outbreak is adequately resolved.
Acting permanent secretary of the agriculture ministry Sophia Kasheeta assured that surveillance activities at the official border points have been increased to ensure that products entering Namibia do not pose a level of risk for the local pork industry.
At yesterday’s meeting it transpired that there has been an increase in pig farming with more farmers showing interest after the recent introduction of a trial pig protection scheme. This has resulted in local producers now producing up to 70 percent of all pork in the Namibian market, while the rest is imported mainly from South Africa.
Commercial farmers were reminded of the importance to keep up with the latest technology regarding floor construction, heating and waste handling and it was recommended that farmers on any level invest in pig feeders.
“Pig feeders have become the trend in Europe and it delivers huge returns. It reduces the number of labourers and secures higher income for those involved,” the meeting was told by Duncan Stephenson of Lionels Veterinary Suppliers in South Africa.
He explained that South Africans consume less than 4kg of pork per person per year, while in Germany people consume more than 53kg of pork every year.
Stephenson is of the opinion that pork production will play a major role in the meat industry in the years to come.
“The trick will be to produce more pork with less fodder as prices keep skyrocketing in times of drought,” he observed.
Pig farming in Namibia is still very much a family set-up. Whether it is in a remote communal area or on a more commercial scale, pig farming has traditionally stayed within the family or community. But things are changing fast and with the infant protection the industry is receiving in Namibia, pig farming is growing in all areas. It is now accepted that it is not economically viable to farm with less than 250 pigs in the commercial market.
The importance of farmers identifying markets for their animals and paying careful attention to their start-up capital was stressed.
Slow growth is experienced in the local pork market and new producers were welcomed and assured that there is a place for small-scale farmers as they are in a position to supply a niche market.
The Namibian pig industry is still facing big challenges despite the protection it enjoys from the government.
It was also acknowledged as a very important industry for Namibian communal, emerging and commercial farmers, and that the pig industry has a big role to play in the agriculture sector as it is part of ensuring food security.
The Meat Board introduced the Pig Protection Scheme at the end of 2012 on a trial basis to promote and protect local pig producers. Through the scheme, the Meat Board worked out a formula for pork prices, which fluctuates on a monthly basis.
There are about 600 pig producers in the country, while more than 500 of them are very small farmers, some even with only three to ten pigs. Pig producers can be found all over the country but mostly in areas where there are plantations such as maize where pigs can be fed. None of the pigs or pork produced locally is exported.