Proper financial records, key to success in piggery business-PFAN

PIG farmers have been urged to maintain adequate records in their operations for proper planning and ease of access to credit from financial institutions.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the 2021 annual congress of Pig Farmers Association of Nigeria (PFAN), with the theme: “Pig Value Chain: The Opportunities and Challenges” in Abuja.

Pig farmers were also admonished to also take insurance policies from insurance companies in order to reduce risk. They were also called upon to adopt strict biosecurity measures in their various operations.

The communique further stated that:”Actors in the pig value chain should adopt strict value chain operation strategies to make the pig value chain a goldmine by specialising in a particular component of the value chain.

“Actors in the pig value chain should make the pig industry attractive by creating awareness among youths and potential pig farmers. Also, actors in the pig value chain should stabilise the prices of pigs in their various states for the development of a healthy and competitive market.”

PFAN, called on the Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) should address the issues of farm location and swine breeding programmes in the anticipated policy document.

In his welcome address, the PFAN President Prof. Kingsley Adesehinwa expressed gratitude to God for making the congress a reality. He said: “Today is one of my happiest days, seeing the dream become a reality. It has been my dream to see the pig industry and its drivers stand tall among other livestock industries in Nigeria.”

“The good news is that pig has been added as a value chain by the Federal Government of Nigeria, meaning that the Federal and State Governments are ready to support the pig industry in every possible way.”

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Earnest Umakhihe, in his keynote address congratulated the leadership of PFAN and the local organising committee (LOC) for the congress. He reminded participants that 38 per cent of animal protein consumed in the world is Pork which is a pointer to the market potential inherent in the pig value chain.

Umakhihe stated that the Ministry was not unmindful of the challenges that abound in the industry and it was because of this awareness and determination to promote the pig industry that the Ministry organised the 2018 stakeholder meeting which gave birth to PFAN and the development of minimum operating procedures on pig husbandry in Nigeria.