Pig farming is one of the most lucrative business ventures. Those who have engaged in 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 business 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 not the most effective way to raise pigs. You can feed the pigs with leftovers from home kitchens, restaurants and hotels. You can also get commercial foods to help speed growth and maturation.

market

There is no shortage of market for pigs 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, that buy pigs for slaughter. Farmers Choice, the largest player in the market with a 70% market share, can enter into an agreement with you to supply them with pigs for slaughter, provided your pigs meet the required quality.

Profit

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 ranging from 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, cakes, buns, cuts, tallow, and lard. Pig manure is also used as 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 getting 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.