Domestic Pig Farming Boosted
Domestic Pig Farming Boosted
Domestic pig farming has been promoted to supply the local market as the number of pigs imported from neighbouring countries has been ordered to be checked strictly.
The move is made at the time when pig imports have dropped half during the COVID-19 crisis which has reduced the local demand for pork, senior official said.
Speaking at a press conference held here on May 21, H.E. Tan Phanara, Director-General of Animal Health and Production at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, said that boosting local pig farming will stop pig imports from abroad and the export of pigs would begin in the years to come.
“Before the COVID-19 crisis, 82 percent of total pig consumption is from local raising and 18 percent is from imports. But now, the 82 percent raised locally can supply the market because demand for pork has decreased in the hard time of COVID-19,” H.E. Tan Phanara said.
To boost local pig farming, measures on strict import control have to be made, he said, calling on all relevant officials to work on the matter efficiently.
Mr. Srun Pov, President of the Cambodian Pig Raising Association, applauded the measure, stressing that the association is seeking to encourage members to apply for special loans at the Agriculture and Rural Development Bank to expand production.
“I support the ministry’s measures which lead to the increase of local pig farming throughout the country,” Mr. Pov said.
Mr. Ly Laville, General Manager of M’s Pig ACMC (Cambodia), also welcomed the move, stressing that the more local raising is expanded, the more jobs and income are generated to help Cambodian farmers through production chain and raw materials as feeds.
“With the measures, the company is expanding pig raising for domestic demand and also for export in the years to come to any countries that need quality pork,” Mr. Laville underlined.
Mr. Ly Laville said based on a survey, Cambodia spends about US$400 million a year on importing pigs to supply local market.
