Pork trading ban to be lifted on February 24, 2014

Government will on Monday next week, 24th February 2014, officially lift the ban on the trading in pork and pork products which was imposed last year following the outbreak of the African swine fever.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Luxon Kazabu disclosed this development in parliament today.

Mr. Kazabu said K5 million would be paid as compensation to the affected small scale farmers in Lusaka province adding that a kilogramme of the slaughtered pigs was pegged at K13.

Closed to 16,000 pigs were slaughtered during the ban.

He was responding to a question raised by Mazabuka UPND Member of Parliament (MP) Garry Nkombo who wanted to find out when the government will officially announce the lifting of the ban on the trading in pork and pork products which was imposed following the outbreak of African swine fever in 2013.

Mr. Kazabu disclosed that the disease has generally been contained in Lusaka province in Chamba valley, Makeni and Kasupe which are areas that were affected by the disease.

He said surveillance inspections were however still ongoing.

He said as a control measure, government has re-enforced check points on road blocks in the province.

Mr. Kazabu however said the same measures would be applied in Southern province where there is a reported outbreak of African swine fever disease.