Byron McDaniel, Gleaner WriterWALDERSTON, Manchester:
PIG FARMERS say they are finding it more difficult to compete as they are being bombarded by various challenges, among them higher costs for pig feed.
Speaking with the Farmers Weekly yesterday, Delroy Manya, president of the Pig Farmers Association of Jamaica said the international price of corn and soy-based feeds continues to rise. According to farming interests, the increase is being fed by the slippage of the Jamaican currency, rising oil prices and stiff competition from China, a dominant importer of animal feed. They were speaking during the Association's third annual general meeting. It was held at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, Manchester on Thursday.
They said China's interest has led to rising shipping costs and the availability of fewer ships to carry grain to other countries.
"The extent to which they buy grain influences price and because of the distance between China and corn and soybean growing nations such as those in South America, we have ships diverting from other places to go to China," said Dr. Keith Amiel, corporate affairs
manager for Caribbean Broilers Group, which owns Newport Mills, the makers of Nutrimix feed.
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FOOD
Feed constitutes 60 to 65 per cent of farmers production costs so in an effort to keep costs down, Mr. Manya said his association is urging pig farmers to find alternative sources of food for the pigs and to start rearing a genetically upgraded pig, developed in Canada. These pigs, he said, are developed for better conversion (meaning they take less feed to convert into more meat), they grow faster and will allow the farmer to go to market earlier. Mr. Manya said these pigs can be ready for market in four and a half months, three months earlier than it will take with regular pigs. In addition, the genetically upgraded pigs consumes seven bags of feed instead of the current nine to ten bags. Pig feed can cost farmers between $435 and $500 per bag.
The farmers are also facing other challenges, which are undermining their efforts to make a decent living.
"Coupled with the high cost of feed, farmers have to under-sell their pigs as buyers do not give money for value," said Dennis Longman, a pig farmer from Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth.
Local pig farmers supply 85 per cent of the national market. Imports account for the rest.
Mr. Manya, who was re-elected president of the 250-member association on Thursday, also spoke about the association's immediate goals. The association is developing a more structured marketing system to assist farmers and is teaching farmers about agricultural best practices. The association is also urging farmers to use new on farm technology such as an automatic watering system and put in proper feeding, sanitation and waste
management systems.
Mr. Manya also said there is need for farmers to join the association.
Additional reporting by
Trudy Simpson, Staff Reporter
