Agriculture ministry endorses Pig Production Early Warning System

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF) has endorsed the introduction of a Pig Production Early Warning System and the establishment of the Pork Association, describing them as viable strategies to be explored by stakeholders to strengthen and expand the pork industry.
“The industry, like any other, has to be built on market-driven demand that takes into account local consumption, value-added supply to the tourism sector and to sustainable export markets,” said Dr. Roy McNeil, Chief Technical Director at MICAF, as he addressed stakeholders in the pig industry at the 17th Annual General Meeting of the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association in Mandeville on September 26.
“We cannot allow the industry to be the victim of periods of glut and oversupply, which drive down prices and then shortages which negatively impact the consistency of market supply,” said Dr. McNeil.
Noting that Jamaica continues to lag behind in the export of pig and pork products, ranking 74 out of 101 exporting countries, the chief technical director implored the pig farmers to strive to increase exports by bringing the operations of the pork industry to an internationally acceptable standard.
This, he said, requires continuous improvement of Jamaica’s husbandry practices with a view towards reducing mortality among piglets in addition to implementation of appropriate marketing strategies.
“We must seek to ensure that the average mortality rate moves from between 20-25% to the international standard of 5%,” stated McNeil.