The D’yeki Eco Village, situated in Odumase-Krobo in the Eastern Region, houses a swine-producing farm with a herd size of approximately 170 pigs.

Over the past year and a half, the farm owners have diligently established and managed the piggery, with ongoing expansion efforts aimed at tripling its current capacity within the upcoming years.

Despite the fortunate absence of any cases of notorious swine diseases, the facility's managers continue to exercise utmost care to prevent any potential losses.

Starting with a modest group of 15 sows and 2 boars, the piggery has impressively grown to encompass a population of 170 pigs, including 38 sows and three boars, all within a mere year and a half.

Emphasizing the remarkable profitability of pig farming, Mr. Worlali Martin, the farm manager at D’yeki Eco Village, which also engages in fish farming, poultry rearing, goat production, and crop cultivation, referred to pig farming as a goldmine. He highlighted how a farmer has the opportunity to witness rapid multiplication of their animals within a relatively short timeframe, leading to substantial rewards.

“Piggery is very profitable; I think we’re sitting on a goldmine. As a farmer who does pigs, you can earn quite a lot from the piggery,” said the farm manager, attributing the profitability to the high birth rate and high cost of pork.

With sows reaching maturity for breeding between 6 to 7 months of age and giving birth to an average of ten piglets per litter, up to three times per year, the population increases rapidly within a short span.

The farm offers the option of selling the pigs either as live animals or processed meat. Operating its own slaughterhouse, it efficiently fulfills orders from customers seeking pork for various purposes.

In the face of continuously escalating feeding costs, this particular farm formulates its own animal feed. The mixture includes ingredients like maize, soya bean, palm kernel cake (PKC), limestone, wheat, rice bran, and additional concentrates tailored for optimal nutrition.

Acknowledging the substantial initial costs involving feeding, medical care, infrastructure, power, and other necessary expenses for initiating pig farming, Mr. Worlali characterizes starting a piggery as "moderately capital-intensive."

This assessment is largely due to the fact that after the initial setup, the primary ongoing cost is feeding, which is supplemented by cost-free food sources.

While occasional challenges such as births, dysentery, worm infestations, and minor injuries do arise among the animals, these occurrences do not significantly jeopardize production, as they are relatively infrequent.

Presently, the farm employs one full-time worker responsible for maintaining cleanliness and feeding the animals.

However, as expansion endeavors continue, the farm is likely to expand its workforce to accommodate the growth.

While characterizing pig farming as a highly profitable endeavor, the farm manager emphasized the importance of the youth considering this trade as a reliable avenue for employment. He conveyed, "Pig farming can be incredibly lucrative... if you initiate with just a single sow and a single boar, productivity could escalate rapidly."

According to Mr. Worlali, the valuation of a pig hinges on its carcass weight (the weight post-slaughter), leading to an average market price range of GH₵2000 to GH₵2,500 for fully grown pigs.

Discussing the piggery's future goals, the farm manager elaborated on plans to generate approximately 500 pigs annually for the market, drawing from its existing brooder stock.