Published: 07 April 2014

The pig industry in Zimbabwe is going through a difficult patch due to a combination of factors that include high costs of stock feed, a ban on exports of fresh pork, depressed demand due to low consumer spending and low producer prices, an official said on Monday.

Pig Industry Board (PIB) director Andrew Shonhiwa told New Ziana that the first quarter of this year recorded low demand for pork and its products due to the liquidity crunch that the country is experiencing.

"The demand for pork and pork products is low due to the economic challenges facing the country," he said.

"Zimbabwe is currently not exporting fresh pork. Outbreaks of foot and mouth in cattle result in exports of fresh pork being banned. Production costs are high in Zimbabwe resulting in the country being uncompetitive when it comes to exporting," he said.

Shonhiwa said farmers were being offered low producer prices whilst prices of stock feeds had increased.

"Farmers are being offered low producer prices and this has affected their ability to buy inputs for their enterprises. Furthermore the price of stock feed has increased while the producer price has decreased thus creating viability challenges in the industry."

The price of stock feed is ranging between $49 and $78 per 50 kilogramme bag of pig concentrate.

Shonhiwa said the country was not producing sufficient maize and the little that was available was expensive for pig production.

He said challenges the that many farmers faced to obtain police and veterinary clearance when marketing their pork were worsening the situation.

"Many farmers incur huge costs moving the police and veterinary personnel long distances to be issued the necessary paperwork," he said.

- New Ziana.