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Pig farmers in Saki, a community in Kpone-Katamanso Municipality, Greater Accra region, said they lost more than 720,000 yen of investment due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, who ravaged their farms a few weeks ago.
Recounting the ordeal to the Ghanaian news agency in Saki, John Amartey revealed that since the outbreak, he has lost more than 100 pigs on his single farm.
He noted that other farmers also recorded higher mortalities, adding that pigs were still dying from African swine fever and that it was still prevalent on farms in Saki.
He explained that the situation had made most of the pig farmers desperate as their only investment had been destroyed by swine fever.
According to the pig farmer, around 500 pigs had succumbed to African swine fever, including pregnant pigs across the enclave, saying the deaths started in May this year, but they were unaware it was of an endemic that could cost them as much.
Another farmer attributed the rapid spread to the neglect of some farmers who let their pigs roam the city without any proper care, “these types of stray pigs become super spreaders.”
Mr. Amartey told the GNA that the average cost of an adult pig is sold between 1,800 and 1,400 depending on size and age.
According to him, some farmers do not keep their farms clean and do not heed any advice, “we have to blame ourselves too”.
Kpone Katamanso municipal veterinarian, Dr Emmanuel Kwao Pecku, claimed that farmers had lost a huge amount of investment, saying the situation would really affect farmers who relied solely on pigsties for a living.
Dr Pecku said plans have been put forward to excavate parts around the farms to bury fecal waste, carcasses and other contaminated material on the farms for fumigation.
The Ghanaian news agency observed during a visit to some of the farms that many pig farms were deserted as no pigs were seen in some of the pens.
Farmers also packed their tools to farms, but few farmers were seen in a devastated way as they reflected on the loss.
An unbearable smell emanated from the pigsties, signaling that farmers were throwing some of their dead pigs into the bush while others burned dead pigs leaving carcasses while flies and other insects fed on them.
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