Piggery farmers in Malaita Province are complaining of the high costs of pig’s feeds in Auki.
This came after a 40-kilogram bag of mill-run feed costs $200, while a 20-kilogram bag of copra meal costs $100.
Franklyn Tiko, a local piggery farmer at Gelabu village in West Kwara’ae constituency, said the high cost of pig feed has made pig farming a challenging endeavor, especially since the local market is not as active as expected.
“Since the price of pigs has increased, I’ve had to raise the price of my pigs as well, but often people can’t afford to buy them,” Mr. Tiko said.
“Without a regular market for pigs in Auki, it’s becoming difficult to continue raising pigs.
Mr. Tiko called on the national government to address the issue of high feed costs in the country, believing that many local farmers face similar challenges.
“It would be helpful if the government introduced feed processing machines in the country, utilizing local resources to produce feed.
“This could reduce the reliance on overseas feed imports, which would help farmers manage the high costs,” he said.
In 2021, the former Malaita Alliance for Rural Advancement (MARA) led by Daniel Suidani signed a partnership for a project funded by Green Power Tech USAID.
One of the nine projects under this initiative is the construction of a pig feed factory at Gwaigeo for the province.
However, the implementation of the project has been delayed, with the planned factory still not developed at Gwaigeo.
Malaita Province Premier Elijah Asilaua recently reaffirmed his government’s commitment to several USAID-funded projects aimed at improving infrastructure and services in the province.
“We remain committed to these projects, including the Gwaigeo Access Road Rehabilitation, the Gwaigeo Factory, Auki Fisheries Cold Storage, and the Ada Koa Cold Storage and Mini-Grid Energy,” Premier Asilaua said.
With US government freezing aid, its not clear if some of these projects will be affected.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Solomon Star, Auki
