According to pig breeders, there is a brighter outlook for the currently rising pork prices in the coming days.
The pork price increased between the end of February and the first week of March, and the price of whole pig at the Mandalay wholesale market rose from K8,000 to K9,000 per viss.
“Price per head of pig is rising. The wholesaler fixed the price per viss after checking the whole pig. Transport is not the reason for price increase. It is because of animal feed which is expensive. If a person conventionally raises a homestead pig, it is not economically viable as it takes time and money to invest. A bag of feed now costs K 40,000. Feed for piglets is more expensive. It was not very expensive in January, but increased from early February. The wholesale price of a viss of pig has increased by only K 1,000 per viss- from K8,000 to K9,000,” said U Win Ko Ko, a pig breeder in Yamethin township. The price of pork will increase in the coming days, pork traders predicted.
“Pork price is rising now. We are maintaining sales by taking only K 100 profit. It can rise more. Chicken price rose more with an increase of K1,500/K1,600 a viss for CP chicken. The previous prices are no longer profitable as transportation costs get higher,” said a pork seller from Htantabin township. The current retail price of pork per viss is K 16,000 to K 17,000 and it was only K 15,000 in February.
“Since the price is rising, we are trying to raise pigs. There are a lot of breeders like us now. You can say it’s a good business because pork price is going up. But, we cannot predict. Some said the wholesale price may reach K 10,000 per viss,” said Ko Myint Hlaing, a pig breeder from Bago township. — Thit Taw/ZN/ED
