Côte d’Ivoire imports new breeding pigs to strengthen local pork production
Government aims to improve the genetic performance of local herds and reduce pork import dependence.
Côte d’Ivoire – The Ivorian government is stepping up efforts to improve the country’s pork genetics through a new batch of imported breeding pigs.
The Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries recently received 35 pigs from France, including Piétrain, Landrace, and Large White breeds, as part of the Pork Industry Development Project (Pro-Porc).
According to the Ivorian Press Agency (AIP), this follows a first import of 50 breeding pigs in 2023 under the same program.
Pro-Porc coordinator Monique Gueu said the animals will be crossbred with local pigs to produce offspring with stronger performance traits such as faster growth, higher fertility, and improved carcass quality suited for market demand.
This genetic improvement program is part of the government’s wider effort to rebuild the national herd and raise the quality of breeding stock distributed to farmers.
Currently, a mature local pig in Côte d’Ivoire weighs around 60 kilograms and produces about five to six piglets per litter, compared to 110 kilograms and up to 15 piglets for imported European breeds.
Recovery from Swine Fever Losses
These initiatives come as the pork sector continues to recover from the devastating impact of African swine fever outbreaks over the past decade.
The most recent outbreak in 2024 led to the culling of more than 100,000 pigs to prevent further spread of the disease, resulting in losses estimated at about US$32 million (roughly 20 billion FCFA).
This situation sharply reduced the country’s pig population, creating a need for rapid restocking to sustain pork production and meet growing consumer demand.
Rising Imports and Market Pressure
Domestic production shortages have forced Côte d’Ivoire to rely more heavily on imported pork and pork products.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), pork imports rose by an average of 21.41 percent per year between 2019 and 2023, increasing from 55,712 tonnes to 121,055 tonnes.
At the same time, figures from the Ministry of Animal Resources show that the national pig herd stood at approximately 464,006 animals in 2023.
Livestock contributes about 4.5 percent to Côte d’Ivoire’s agricultural GDP and 2 percent to national GDP, with pork becoming an increasingly important source of animal protein for households.
Through ongoing breeding initiatives, the government hopes to gradually reduce pork import dependence while ensuring a more resilient and productive local industry.
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