December 17, 2010

Cameroon region bars pigs, pork from Chad, Nigeria

Cameroon's northern Haman Gambo province has banned the importation of pigs and pork from neighboring countries due to the African swine fever outbreak in its region, local news reported Thursday (Dec 16).

The contagious disease forced Cameroon to slaughter and incinerate over 22,000 pigs in 2010 in the northern parts of the country.

"The governor of the North Region has prohibited the sale, movement and transformation of pigs for consumption in the North Region. The order has also suspended the import of pigs from Chad and Nigeria," stated the local media.

Northern Cameroon is noted for its bulk production of pigs for local consumption and sale in neighboring countries. Pork or pigs are also imported from neighboring countries or Europe when local production drops.

Earlier this week, trucks transporting hundreds pigs to the region were impounded and would be "killed and buried in the fight against the African swine fever".

The stringent measures follow heightened movement and sale of pig and pork for the end of year's festivities, during which the commodity is widely consumed nationwide.

Cameroon's daily pork consumption officially stands between 7-10 million tonnes, according to government figures.