Pig farming is one of the most lucrative business ventures. Those who have dedicated themselves to this activity have reaped good profits. Pigs can be raised as a small business to provide food and nutrition for the family, or expanded to become a commercial enterprise for profit. Pig farming is relatively simple compared to other forms of farming.
feeds
You can feed pigs almost anything. Most people just let their pigs roam urban areas looking for scraps. However, this is illegal and is not the most effective way to raise pigs. You can feed pigs kitchen scraps from home, restaurants, and hotels. You can also get commercial feeds to help speed growth and maturation.
market
There is no shortage of market for hogs in the country. The best time to sell the pigs is during the high tourist season because the demand is very high. There are also many local butcher shops, especially around Nairobi, who buy pigs for slaughter. Farmers Choice, the largest player in the market with a 70% market share, can make an agreement with you to supply them with pigs for slaughter, provided your pigs meet the required quality.
Revenue
You can buy young piglets in Ksh. 3,000 and take up to six months to mature, after which you can sell them for prices starting at Ksh. 25,000 to Ksh. 40,000. As you can see it is quite profitable. The amount of inputs required is low and manageable. Pig farming is a good business venture if you want to recoup your investments in a short period.
products
Some of the products that come from pig farming include pork, ham, bacon, sausages, pies, rolls, cuts, suet, and lard. Pig manure is also used as a fertilizer. With such a diversified product range, it is not difficult to find a market for pigs.
potential challenges
One of the challenges a new pig farmer might face is sourcing the right commercial feeds. You can do some research on this field at the Farmers Choice show farm, the Internet, and other farmers. For others, the main challenge is religious and cultural obstacles. Some religions and cultures prohibit the consumption of pork and other pork products because pigs are unclean animals. However, pigs are not as dirty as people think they are. If raised properly, pigs can be as clean as any other livestock.