Strange breed of 'black pigs' that cannot be raised to be sold

Currently, in some mountainous communes in Hoai An, An Lao, Vinh Thanh districts (Binh Dinh province) likeblack pig(also known as the local pig) is growing. In particular, localities also have policies to support the breed so that people can preserve and develop this breed of pig.

According to Mr. Vo Duy Tin, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hoai An district, in order to preserve and develop the black pig breed, in 2020, the People's Committee of Hoai An district supported 3 highland communes of Dak Mang, An Son and Bok Toi, each commune with 30 - 40 black pig breeds distributed to local people for raising.

Black pigs are a native breed of pig. Their food consists of wild banana trees, vegetables, grass, cassava, sweet potatoes, etc. This breed of pig is very suitable for free-range environments in the wild.

"Black pigs are free-range, roaming a lot to find food, especially with a diet of plants and agricultural products produced by the people themselves, so the black pork meat is firm and fragrant, so consumers really like it. Currently, black pigs have a very high price, 160,000 - 170,000 VND/kg live weight, a pig weighing 30 - 40 kg can be sold for 5 - 6 million VND, a not small income for ethnic minorities", said Mr. Vo Duy Tin.

In An Son commune, the leading model in the conservation and strong development of ethnic pig breeds is Mr. Dinh Van Thanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of An Son commune. Thanks to good adoption of the breeding process guided by the agricultural extension sector, the herd of black pigs in Mr. Thanh's barn has now grown to nearly 40. Of which, there are 3 sows, 20 piglets, and the rest are porkers.

According to Mr. Thanh, black pigs grow very slowly, taking 8-9 months to 1 year to reach a weight of 30-40 kg/pig, and if the raising time is extended to 17-18 months, the weight can reach 50-60 kg/pig. In return, the selling price of black pigs is very high, and all the output is currently consumed.

Mr. Vo Duy Tin added that currently in Hoai An district, there are many agents in the highlands and mountainous district of Vinh Thanh to buy.pig breedThe black pig breeds of the people are provided and inspected by the district's functional agencies. In 2021, the district will continue to integrate many programs and provide capital support to 3 highland communes to expand the pig herd in households.

In the mountainous district of An Lao, the locality is also supporting and encouraging people to develop a black pig farming model, aiming to create typical local products and develop household economies, especially for ethnic minority households.

Four years ago, from being supported by the District People's Committee with 4 black pigs for breeding, Mr. Dinh Van Kem's family (in village 1, An Toan mountainous commune) has now increased their herd to 25 pigs. Each year, his family sells 10 pigs, earning more than 40 million VND.

"The district supports the breeding pigs, and the district's agricultural extension officers guide me on the raising techniques, so I feel secure. Black pigs are easy to eat and drink, and the barn is simple. In addition to the pigs finding food in the wild, I go into the forest every day to cut bananas and pick wild vegetables to chop and cook with bran for the pigs to eat. Although black pigs grow slowly, they are expensive, so they are highly effective. Since raising black pigs, my family's economy has been completely stable," Mr. Kem said excitedly.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Lao district, in 2020 alone, the District People's Committee purchased 270 black piglets to support 94 households in An Lao town and the communes of An Toan, An Nghia, An Quang, An Hung, An Trung, and An Vinh for raising.

Presently,modelBlack pig farming is not only developed in ethnic minority areas but also in many localities in the district, bringing high economic efficiency to the people.