How to start a piggery business in Zimbabwe and the business plan

Piggery business in Zimbabwe can be very profitable if it is properly run under acceptable methods and conditions conducive for pig production, good management and a good business plan. The demand for pork in Zimbabwe is high, about 1000 metric tonnes per month. This article will explain how to start a pig production business in Zimbabwe, and the business plan.

Before you start a pig production business, you have to decide how many pigs you want to keep, where you are going keep them, and your target market. The number of pigs you keep will depend on the amount of land and capital you have, and also the size of your target market. You should always carry out a feasibility study, market research and write a business plan before you venture into any business. Do not make the mistake of starting a piggery business or any other business just because someone is doing it and he/she says it’s profitable.

What you need

Land

A large enough area must be available for erecting the necessary pig stys and other buildings. The piggery project requires a gentle sloppy site with well-draining soils to enable easy flow of effluence. Assessment on the suitability of the plot for pig production should be conducted. It is advisable to locate the project nearer to good roads as that will help minimize costs and enable the farmer have access to and from the project. There should be a reliable source of clean water that can be used for both human and animal consumption, such as boreholes, rivers and dams. In case of inadequate water source, a reservoir could be constructed.

Housing

Good, efficient housing makes management easier and helps the farmer to successfully rear 85% or more of all the live born piglets to market weight in the shortest possible time. Pigs at different stages of growth need different environments (temperatures), thus different housings. If they are to produce and grow to their maximum potential piglets need special protection against very low temperatures. Growing and reproducing pigs must be protected against high temperatures. The houses must therefore be built in such a way that the pigs are protected against extreme temperatures and other bad weather conditions such as cold winds and continuous rain.

Breeding Pigs

You need boars and sows. Boars are the male pigs which will service the sows (female pigs). You should buy breeding pigs of good quality so that the piglets that are produced grow fast and produce quality carcasses with a high percentage of meat and a small quantity of fat. When buying pigs for the first time, it is advisable to take someone along who has the necessary knowledge and experience. You should have one boar for every 15 to 20 sows. The number of sows you have will depend on the scale of your project, i.e. how many pigs you want to produce. Each sow can give birth to 9-11 piglets from one pregnancy, and can fall pregnant twice a year. The pregnancy of a pig lasts for 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days (114 days).

Sow and Piglets

Feed

Feed is the biggest cost in pig production. Pigs must be fed the correct quantity of the right feed mixture so that they grow efficiently, reproduce efficiently, utilize the feed efficiently, produce good quality meat, thus maximizing your profit. Failure to give the pigs the required feed may lead to you missing the slaughter weight targets, and meat quality, which may lead to a loss. Pigs require different types of feed depending on their stage of growth. There are many companies which sell pig feed in Zimbabwe e.g. National Foods, AgriFoods and Fivet.

Capital

This is a capital intensive project. You will need money for constructing the housings, buying the breeding stock, buying the stock feeds e.t.c. So the scale of your piggery project will also depend on the amount of capital you have. That is why it is essential for you to have a business plan before you venture into the pig production business, so that you know all the costs involved and you make an informed decision.

Management skills and experience

Do not make the mistake of going into piggery business without training. You should have basic skills and experience in pig management as this enhances business sustainability and competiveness. It is important for the farmer who does not possess the relevant skills to undergo an intensive training course in pig husbandry. Even if someone is managing the business on your behalf, make sure they have the relevant skills.

Market

Pigs can be slaughtered when they are between 4-6 months old, depending on whether you want to sell them as porkers or as baconers. To ensure freshness of the pork after slaughter, you should identify and locate the project within the vicinity of market outlets such as abattoirs, local butcheries, retailers, hotels, wholesalers and individual consumers. Make sure you have identified your market before venturing into this business, or you will be forced to continue feeding the pigs when they are past their slaughter age, as you may fail to sell them, which will lead to a loss. Don’t just assume that the market is there, but go out into the field, and talk to the butcheries and abattoirs in your area, understand the demand for pork in your area.

Pre-Written Business Plan for Piggery : Comprehensive Version, Short Bank Loan Version, Automated Excel Financial Statements

For an in-depth analysis of the pig production business in Zimbabwe, purchase our business plan. We decided to introduce the business plans after noting that many Zimbabweans were venturing into the piggery business without a full understanding of the industry, market, how to run the business, the risks involved, profitability of the business and the costs involved, leading to a high failure rate of their businesses.

Our business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run a pig production business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as the pig production business plan will lay out all the costs involved in setting up and running the piggery business. The business plan is designed uniquely for the Zimbabwean market.

Uses of the Pig Production Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The pig production business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your piggery business
• As a project proposal
• Assessing profitability of the piggery business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

Contents of the Piggery Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The business plan includes, but not limited to:

• Market Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• Automated Financial Statements (monthly cash flow projections, income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, break even analysis, loan repayment calculations, start-up costs)
• Marketing Strategy
• Risk Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements (e.g. type of housing required, feed required e.t.c.)
• Management of Pigs (piglets, boars, pregnant sows, growing pigs e.t.c.)
• Operational Strategy
• Why some Zimbabweans in piggery business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your piggery business in Zimbabwe

The pig production business plan includes technical aspects of how to keep and to take care of the pigs. It also includes a mini-directory with contacts which will prove to be helpful in launching and running the piggery business. E.g. We will provide the contact details of the companies that produce feeds, breeding stock, abattoirs e.t.c.

The Piggery business plan package consist of 4 files

1. Piggery Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive – 79 pages)
2. Pig Production Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive – 79 pages)
3. Pigs Production Business Plan Bank Version – Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan – 36 pages)
4. Piggery Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel file)

The business plan financials are in USD currency. 

The financial statements are automated. This implies that you can change eg the number of pigs, price of pigs etc, and all the other financial statements will automatically adjust to reflect the change.

Get the Pigs Production Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

We decided to make them affordable for anyone who would want a business plan, and the price for pre-written business plans is only US$10 for soft copies.

You can purchase via Paynow (Ecocash/Innbucks/One Money/MasterCard/Visa Card) or via Paypal. You just click Buy Now (scroll down)  and you will then be taken to payment website where you make the payment. Just follow the instructions; you will be done with the payment process in 2 minutes. We will email the business plan (PDF format, Microsoft word format, and a Microsoft Excel file with the financial statements)  to you within 24 hours, using the email address you provided when you were paying.

You can also purchase soft copies at our offices in Harare. Visit  StartupBiz Zimbabwe, Suite 201, 2nd Floor, Morgan House, George Silundika Avenue (between 1st Street & 2nd Street), Harare . The cost of the business plan is US$10 (soft copies).

For any questions, other payment options, email us on shop@startupbiz.co.zw , call/whatsapp us on +263778798072 (Whatsapp us by clicking the link https://wa.me/263778798072) .

Pig Production Business Plan 

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