With swine breeding in decline in Arakan State, the price of young pigs has increased nearly fivefold compared with two years ago, swine breeders said.

There were many pig breeders in Arakan State until 2019, when the population was decimated by a swine disease. The price of young pigs has surged in the months since, said Daw Khin Khin Than, a swine breeder in Chaung New Min Gan village, Sittwe Township.

“All my pigs died early this year, including female pigs preparing to farrow piglets. I bought young pigs for K150,000 each now,” she said.

Daw Ma Mya Aye, a resident of Zawmadat village in Sittwe Township, said a local young pig cost about K30,000 in 2018, but was priced at K150,000 in 2021.

“People who are struggling for their livelihoods cannot buy young pigs to breed because of higher prices. Previously, almost all villagers in the village bred swine,” she said.

The price of rice flour, a common animal feed for pigs, was previously K3,000 per bag, but has risen to K6,000 now, said Daw Than Than Kyi, a swine breeder.

“We have to feed them different vitamins. We cannot get a profit now because the expenditure for them is high now,” she said.

Swine breeders said they want the government to provide capital for them so that they can continue to pig farm.

The price of pork today has reportedly increased about 50% since 2018.