Efforts on to boost pork supply
If the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) has its way, there will be an increase in the number of pigs being slaughtered in this country annually, thereby boosting the quantity of pork available on the market.
According to Chief Executive Officer of the BAS, James Paul, the goal is to get back to the stage where around 10 000 more animals are being slaughtered at the abattoir a year.
“We are trying to improve breeding practices on the farms to try to increase numbers and we want to grow those numbers as much as possible, where we can get back to the days of 20 years ago where the abattoir was slaughtering nearly 40 000 animals a year. We are barely managing to do 30 000 a year and we want to push it above 30 000, because if we can do that we would be well on our way to better servicing our market and possibly looking towards export in the future,” he said in an interview with The Barbados Advocate.
Paul said efforts are also on to increase the number of pig farmers as well. He said while they are currently in the range of over 1 000, the sector has experienced a decline and they want to see that figure rise significantly over the next five years. In fact, Paul suggested if they want to see an immediate increase in certain categories of livestock, they may actually have to consider importation. He made the point while referencing the importation in late 2016 of 194 cows from the United States, 174 of which are pregnant heifers, some as much as five to six months pregnant at the time.
“We note that in the dairy industry we actually brought in a herd of heifers, without which milk production would not be where it is now; it would have been worse. We want to thank the farmers who showed the initiative to bring in those heifers and it is important to know the farmers are honouring that commitment to the financial institution and the sector is better for it,” he stated.
The BAS CEO said that they recognise also the need to focus on the gilts, young female pigs, and sows, mature female pigs in their herds. He said if they can increase that sow herd, the sector would be able to increase production in the medium to long term.
“We asked for the reinstatement of the gilt improvement programme. What we have tried to do is identify the animals that are our best for breeding purposes. Right now what should be happening is that we should at least have pigs being born now to be ready for Christmas, and we are right now
trying to do our analysis about what the demand is likely to be,” he indicated.
The CEO added, “The other thing we have to consider is if the market goes soft, and that is always a possibility, if instead then of being barely able to meet the demand, we have an oversupply of pork.”
To that end, Paul gave the assurance that they will be working with their stakeholders to conduct proper analysis of the sector as they seek to ensure the market is satisfied.
(JRT)