ESPERENCE UKWITEGETSE has, for at least three decades, been involved in rearing pigs for commercial purposes. 

The resident of Huye District in the Southern Province says the animals are her main source of livelihood. 

She rears the animals for a couple of months before selling them to businesses.

Ukwitegetse, who is in her early 50s, says she regularly buys piglets, keeps them for between six and eight months before selling them.

"I get more money in a short period of time,” she says.

She buys a piglet at between Rwf20,000 and 30, 000 and, after six to eight months, she sells it at  between Rwf70,000 and Rwf80,000.

"This is something that is very lucrative,” she said, as she stared at  two piglets she had just bought from Karambi market, a major place for animal sellers and buyers in Huye’s rural Kigoma sector.

 "My life has significantly improved since I started rearing pigs,” she boasted.

The small-scale commercial farmer says revenues she generates from piggery have allowed her to meet the needs of her family, including providing education to her children.

Markets availability

Pigs have a high reproduction rate.

A pig can give birth twice a year with between eight  to 12 piglets at once, according to farmers and experts.

Farmers and officials believe  the pig industry in Rwanda still has  huge opportunities since the animals and their meat give assurance of better returns on investment.

"I have never lacked where to sell my animals,” Ukwitegetse says.

Many pigs are bought by owners of slaughterhouses who deal in pork while the rest are exported to neighbouring countries, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Figures indicate that pork consumption habits in the country have increased in recent years, from an annual consumption of 527,531 tonnes in 2006, to 706,472 tonnes in 2011.

There are no clear figures of how many pigs are exported but a trader, only identified as Mushi, said thousands of pigs are exported every week.

Mushi, who, together with a number of other pig traders, travels from the south-western district of Rusizi to Karambi market weekly, says between 250 and 400 pigs are purchased from the market every week.

The animals are later sold to traders in Rusizi or in the neighbouring DRC, he said.

About 700 other pigs are bought every week from Ryarubondo animal market in the neighbouring Nyamagabe District, the businessman says.

"This shows that there is a high demand for pigs,” he noted.