Some pork traders in Lusaka have received with mixed feeling government’s decision to ban the trading and marketing of pork products in Lusaka.
Samuel Zilindi, a pork trader at City market in Lusaka, said the decision by government was not in the best interest of most pork dealers.
Mr. Zilindi told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that it will be difficult for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to smoothly implement the ban because there were so many pigs transported from other districts where there is no swine fever.
He suggested that it would be better for government to increase the surveillance and verification of pigs with swine fever through testing.
He said the move will disadvantage farmers in areas where the disease has not been detected.
And Joseph Mulyata, a Kalingalinga pig trader, said although the decision passed by government will protect consumers, it will make many households who depend on selling pigs and pork products for income suffer.
Mr. Mulyata said pork traders will face many challenges especially raising money for their school going children.
He has since called on the Lusaka Livestock Traders Association Trust to intervene and find a better solution to the banning of pork trading in Lusaka.
Efforts to get a comment from the Lusaka Livestock Traders Association Trust proved futile by press time as the mobile phone went unanswered.
Government has with immediate effect banned the trading and marketing of pigs and its products to fight against African swine fever.
And government has also with immediate effect directed all pork processing plants in Lusaka to stop processing pork.
This follows an outbreak of African swine fever in Lusaka Province.
Agriculture and Livestock Minister Bob Sichinga announced this in Lusaka on Monday this week.
For a change, one would hope that people start looking beyond their needs, their poverty and just get the bigger picture that if they raise unhealthy pigs (or any other domestic animal such as chickens, etc), they affect the health of all of us.
UTH has seen an unreported rise in the number of cases of the pig tape worm (cysticercosis) a little while before the swine flu issue came through.
We know live in a global village, so please adjust your thinking caps to detect matters beyond your narrow dining table. Your source of income (pigs) has just become the killer of your neighbors children. Bon appetit !!!
There are numerous other unregulated industries, all of which pose a serious health hazard to the general public. We only hear of them when a disease outbreak brings them to…
Mulenga and Jelita. Mulenga is kicking the ball and the ball hits the teacher. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Mr. Mulyata, you arguements have no basis. You want people to die?.in fact the study conducted show that those pig have a lot Teania solium infestation that is likely cause mental problems when it forms a cysts in the brain
It’s a pity that some of our members do not understand the seriousness of swine fever . It has the potential to out pigs in the country,so i call upon our members to support the govt and supplement its efforts in this fight ,the more we cooperate the easier we contain this disease .Martin mukuka chairman . Lusaka livestock traders association and small livestock association of Zambia.