2017 is going to be our year, don’t just say amen. Let’s actually work towards it. Poultry farming was all the rage in 2015 but I can tell you from an insider’s perspective that the profit in that business dropped due to the exchange rate, the price of feed, labour etc. Don’t lose faith in the agricultural sector; there are many more options to consider and I suggest piggery.
There is an increasing demand for pork in Nigeria. Demand for pork in and around the southwest is quite high. In addition, many supermarkets are also selling more pork meat. If you check the stock they have, there are a lot of local brands.
Piggery is one of the most promising enterprises in the Nigerian livestock sector. This is because it requires little space and relatively small initial capital per unit head compared to other livestock enterprises. You do not have to wait till you own your farm to do this; you can lease a pen or a small space in a neighbourhood farm.
With pig production on a large scale, there are several options to market the products;
• Selling piglets at two months old to other farmers either for breeding or fattening.
• Selling young pigs usually at the age of six months for pork.
• Selling adult pigs for bacon
• Selling cull pigs after useful productive life.
The price of a piglet depends on the breed, you can buy for as little as N15,000 and as high as N50,000. The more expensive breed usually grows up to an enormous size in a relatively shorter period of time (an average of four months). To really cash in, I suggest you wait till full maturity before selling for bacon. You can purchase piglets from recognized farms. There is the misconception that pigs feed on trash but if you want your pigs to grow fast and healthy, you must purchase good feed and have a registered veterinary doctor on hand. It will not hurt to carry out more research and seek advice from those currently in the business.
Cheers to new ventures this year.