Pork shortage: Pig slaughter ban extended to June in Mchinji

District Agriculture Development Office (DADO) in Mchinji has to extend a ban on slaughtering of pigs from March 22 to June 22, 2019.

The Office issued the ban in January, 2019, forbidding slaughtering of pigs in Msitu Extension Planning Area (EPA), in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mabvwere after the disease manifested in the area, affecting more than 500 pigs.

Assistant District Agriculture Development Officer for Mchinji, David Gondwe said on Thursday that the office has extended coverage of the ban to include Kalulu and Mikundi EPAs where the disease has also hit.

“We have recorded deaths of pigs in Kalulu EPA where Kathobwa, Kasanda and Kakinga villages are affected and in Mikundi EPA where Masaiti, Mchifuwa, Mnjere, Makumbi, Machilika, Mkunjima and Thako villages have been affected,” he explained.

District Animal Health and Livestock Development Officer for Mchinji, Alexander Phiri warned that the office may affect the ban to the whole district if farmers are not heeding to the ban.

“We have reports that some farmers are transferring the pigs to other areas in the district at night hence the further spread, this will result into our office extending the slaughtering of pigs ban to the whole district,” he said.

Africa swine fever virus causes a hemorrhagic fever mostly in pigs.