Frustrated pig farmers in the Eastern Cape are close to giving up on their quest to become commercial farmers due to what they deem a lack of support from the government. Malnutrition and various diseases have affected piggeries in the provinces, forcing farmers to leave the pork business.
Farmers said the difficulty of operating pork operations has led to a significant number of farmers leaving the commodity and opting for an alternative.
Farmers longing for support
Eastern Cape pig farmer Mhlobo Mbane said the pork industry in the province is not receiving the necessary or expected support from the government.
Mbane claims the main focus or a big chunk of state funding focuses on grain and red meat. He added that poultry and piggeries in the province often receive a combined funding of around R8 million per year from the department of rural development, which he believes should be more.
“The funding is only meant for production inputs although the big gap is on infrastructure such as abattoirs and packaging facilities. These are limiting factors towards the growth and value chain participation of our smallholder farmers,” he said.
Malnutrition in piggeries in the province has been rife and Mbane believes it is the result of a combination of underfeeding and diseases which are caused by non-existent hygiene practices on the farmer’s side.
Mbane said while support from the government is lacking, farmers themselves need to take initiatives that would ensure that their production is of acceptable standards.
Frustrated farmers
Another pig farmer, Busisiwe Mbane, shared her frustrations with the lack of support from the government. She said that she had applied for assistance with feed at the department last year, but has still not been assisted.
“The department is still not giving answers about feed and I signed everything in September. But, up to this day, I still have no answer. I always buy medication myself because our government, whether you have got a running project or not, only assist the lucky ones,” she said.
She explained that on her last visit to a livestock medication shop, she asked them what could boost the immune system of her pigs who recently gave birth. Mbane was advised to buy Byboost 100ml which costs R105.
She said as a small-scale farmer that is a lot for her if she has to sustain her operations, as the business is the only source of her income and the family.
LISTEN: Podcast: Bump up your biosecurity to keep pigs healthy
Poor diet leads to malnutrition
Meanwhile, Eastern Cape department of rural development and agrarian reform veterinarian, Dr Cebisa Mnqeta said a poor diet over a prolonged period results in malnutrition in pigs.
Sive Ngqinjana, another pig farmer from the Eastern Cape, said diseases in pigs in the province have dropped the level of production and reduced the quantity of pork being sold compared to other provinces.
“I believe that the pork meat production in the province is low because of the feed consumed by our pigs that is not in good condition because other kinds of feed are expensive.
“As farmers, we struggle so we end up not being able to feed our pigs accordingly, resulting in malnutrition because the pigs aren’t eating the right feed,” he said.
Ngqinjana explained that farmers do not consider the ages of their pigs and what kind of food a pig should consume at a certain age.
“The state of pork production is very low in the Eastern Cape and well short of what it should be. Coming to the feeding of pigs, farmers do not manage to feed their pigs properly, due to the high production cost of feeding pigs which results in pigs being given anything possible,” he said.
READ NEXT: Feed prices: desperate farmers turn to kitchen waste
Don’t feed your pigs waste
South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) veterinarian, Dr Thandi Chiappero expressed that formulated pig feed is indeed expensive, but waste products bear the risk of introducing disease, especially kitchen waste containing meat products.
However, she added that for small-scale pig farmers, if certain waste products are what is easily accessible, they can be made low-risk by boiling for 10 minutes.
“Waste products such as dairy and potato chips can be added to a feed in small quantities but it would be better to consult with a pig nutritionist when mixing. Over-use of such products can cause stomach ulcers.
“The best way of keeping diseases out of your pig herd is to fence them in. Do not let them roam. When they roam, they consume waste which is a disease risk and they make contact with other pigs who may carry other diseases,” said Chiappero.
The department responds
Eastern Cape department of rural development and agrarian reform spokesperson Masiza Mazizi said farmers were encouraged to visit their offices and interact with their ward based extension officers.
Mazizi disputed that Busisiwe Mbane has not received any help from the department. “She applied for Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) which is implemented by the national department of agriculture land reform and rural development and her application is still under consideration.
“According to our records, Ms Busisiwe Mbane logged in and submitted a request for Presidential Employment Stimulus programme and is one of those for whom a response is still awaited,” he said.
According to Mazizi, Mbane did not apply for this current financial year. “Her application, in our records, is amongst those that were received for consideration for 2024/25 financial year, which will still to be finalised for implementation once the 2024/25 budget is loaded and plans are approved,” he said.
ALSO READ: From SA to Tokyo: Avocado farmers embrace Japan exports
Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain.
