South Africa - The pig industry picks up

Emerging farmers in the Eastern Cape are struggling to restock pig herds after the 2005 outbreak of swine fever forced them to cull all pigs. The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture gave the go-ahead for a restocking programme, but so far hasn’t delivered on a promise to assist with building pig houses. A lack of funds is also hampering the restocking process. The biggest constraint is finance, according to Qeda Nyoka, the emerging farmer project manager at the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO).