PIG HUSBANDRY IN SINGAPORE : A SURVEY

Abstract

The exercise gives a brief account of the economic aspects of pig husbandry in Singapore. Most of the data are based on the results of a sampling survey of 40 pig farms selected from four rural districts in Singapore. The farms in the sample are divided into three size-groups and in most cases, comparison between the size-groups are given. Most of the pig farms in Singapore adopted the intensive system of rearing under which the pressure of land problems abated and the efficiency of management highly attained. The average pig farmer was 41 years old, had been engaged in pig farming for 18 years, and had completed 3 years of formal education. The average farm household consisted of 13 persons. Most farmers in addition to pig-rearing, had been engaged in the production of other farm commodities among which poultry and vegetables were most common. An intensive method of rearing was adapted, land required for pig farming was relatively small. The average farm contained 5 acres of land on which mixed farming was carried out. Nine farms with total area of 81 acres were operated by the owner-occupiers, while the farmers of the remaining 31 farms with total area of 120 acres leased their farmland from the landowners. Capital is discussed under two main headings, fixed and working capital. The amount of capital needed depends on the operation scale of the farm and the methods of rearing practice. To finance the various farm programmes, the farmers had to rely on themselves rather than on other sources. For the purchase of feedstuffs credit was extended to the farmers by the feedmills or the food dealers. Financial institutions for agriculture were still very lacking. Farm labour was supplied mainly by the farmers’ households. The average farm had 3.6 persons from the household working on the farm. Of these family workers, 1.9 worked full-time and the rest worked part-time. Thirteen farms in the sample employed a total of 14 outside workers. The monthly wages of these hired workers aged from $40 to $120. Pigs were produced in Singapore mainly to meet the demand for fresh pork. The breeds of pigs were selected by the farmers based on the principle that the pigs should not only produce more and better lean meat, but also grow comparatively fast. The most common type was the cross-breed of pure foreign boar and local Chinese sow. Bershire and Landrace were found to be the popular foreign breeds for breeding purposes. Only few farms specailised in selling weaners and stores. The thirty seven farms that engaged in fattening purchased or home-bred pigs kept a total of over 7,200 pigs for fattening. An average fattening farm sold about 300 pigs in 1966. The pigs were picked up at the farms by the dealers and delivered to the Government abattoir in town. The average pig price prevailed during the survey was $89 a picul. The prices are determined by the market forces. The supply and demand for pigs and the prices of other types of meat are the main factors that cause the pig prices to fluctuate. Seasonal variation in prices, however, is more or less affected by the Chinese festivals when comparatively larger amount of pork is consumed.