The Secretary for the Ejisu Juaben Municipal Pig Farmers and Processors Association in the Eastern Region of Ghana, Mr. Philemon Ampong has encouraged Ghanaians to embrace the consumption of pork (pig meat) much the consumption of other meat including mutton, beef, chevon, etc.
Mr. Ampong whose call comes in the wake of general disregard for pork attributable to the general unsanitary conditions under which pigs are reared said pig farmers were now adopting more appreciable and acceptable standards of pig farming as against the previous methods.
Pigs are usually considered as dirty animals and the garbage and waste eliminators of the farm, often eating literally anything they can find. This includes not only bugs, insects and whatever leftover scraps they find laying around, but also their own feces, as well as the dead carcasses of sick animals, including their own young.
Mr. Clottey blamed the phenomenon of pig farmers who raised the animals on the free range system where they were left to feed on their own in the communities in which they were raised.
“Initially, pig farmers did not pay much attention to the pigs but left them to wander through the community to feed themselves where they end up eating remains from the dump sites and this situation has resulted in creating abhorrence for pork,” he asserted.
“This situation is due to the free range system of raising the pigs because this approach leaves the animals to feed on almost everything they set their eyes on, including faeces and other unhealthy materials which are hazardous for human consumption,” he added.
The secretary for the pig farmers however noted that pig farmers were now more committed to ensuring that the animals are brought up in a better manner.
“Pig farmers have realized that the free range system of raising pigs should not be the best way. They have realized the need to fence and feed them with hygienic and nutritional food devoid of contaminations to attract the targeted market.” he said.
Mr. Philemon Ampong who spoke in an interview with Captain Adabugar during the Akuafo Se sen? segment of the morning show on Thursday to express his take on the pig farming regretted what he said was the lack of markets for pork, a situation he attributed to the general distaste for the meat as well as live pigs.
He therefore pleaded with the government to consider the pig farming industry in its one district, one factory initiatives to enable pig farmers to produce and process pork for exports since farmers were now adopting the proper way of raising the pigs.
The only challenge to the improved pig farming system as noted by Mr. Ampong is the cost of feeding and labor which he said is taking a toll financially on pig farmers.
He said pig farmers were now practicing agronomy and other standard approaches to compete with other livestock in the market.
Source; Prince Paul Amuzu/www.ritefmonline.org/princeamuzu667@gmai.com
