Picture: Nasau village headman Vilikesa Cokanasiga receives the improved pig breeds from Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy.

Two piggery farms on the island of Koro have received improved pig breeding stocks to help improve the genetic makeup of pigs on the island.

In handing over the improved pig breeds to the two farmers, Batiri Farm’s Sanjesh Mur and Nasau village headman Vilikesa Cokanasiga, Minister for Agriculture Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy said the Ministry’s priority was ensuring food security on the island and the improved breeds were part of those plans.

“We are giving you this improved breed of piglets to, first of all, improve your current stock of pigs that you have in your piggery so that there is more value for money when you do decide to sell off one of your pigs in the future,” said Minister Reddy.

“Also here on Koro, the two things that we are quite interested in is your food security. We want this island to be dependent on their produce as far as possible, which is why we’ve brought the improved piglets so that later on when they reproduce and expand the number of your pigs, it also boosts your food options,” he said.

“It’s good to see that you’ve at least got root crops, dalo and yams, rourou and we’ve also brought some vegetable seeds. You have the sea to provide you with seafood and I think that should be sufficient to have the basic food security of your household and we are also promoting beef cattle here and we are happy to provide the improved variety of beef to those farmers who have got beef cattle and we want you to do commercial agriculture in those areas,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vilikesa Cokanasiga, who owns 15 pigs, said being a recipient was a welcome surprise for him, adding that he now plans to provide the necessary assistance to his fellow villagers who would also want the improved pig breed.

“I thank the Government for giving me the pigs today as it will help me to improve my breed in my piggery, I look forward to looking after these piglets because I want to see the difference between my current stock and the qualities that this improved pig breeds have and I am just thankful to the Ministry for the assistance provided to me as a pig farmer,” said Mr. Cokanasiga.

“I am also ready to assist my fellow villagers who will want to improve their pig breeds through these two piglets.”

“As a maritime community and as farmers, the challenge to go commercial and to go full time into agriculture is a big one for us because there are opportunities available to us, the only part we need to do is farm and grow for the market,” he said.

The Ministry handed over the piglets which were of the Large White pig breed along with bags of feed to both recipients. The Large White Breed can withstand adverse climate and environmental conditions and is a lean and active breed that has late maturity but has a large litter size. It is also considered to have excellent mothering abilities which are paramount for the expansion of a large commercial piggery farm.

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