Agriculture Industry
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Bacon on the plates of tourists is the prime driver of the pig market” - and who else would know better than Vuda Piggeries, for they are Fiji’s largest
commercial piggery farm with over 440 sows and 4200 total stock, supplying to major tourism players in Fiji.
Vuda Piggery was initially purchased from Saha Deo in 1992 by West Farm Holdings and Fiji Meats. West Farm Holdings owned by Mr. Simon Cole and his wife Amelia, bought the farm with the aim to push pig production parameters in the local environment to meet or exceed world
standards. Mr. Cole who has worked in the Pacific Agricultural sector for over 25 years and is an expert in Agricultural
development and management sees to the planning and the construction of the
piggery farm.
Previously situated at Vuda Point, the company relocated to a new site on the Vuda Back Road in 2002, with the new piggery now located on top of a hill. It is specially designed to maximize efficiency and reduce the impact of the hot tropical environment on its temperate occupants. The farm employs 13 staff, including drivers and administrative staff.
Total investment in the new farm is estimated at about FJ$8,000 “per sow place”. With over 420 sows it is an investment of over $3.3 million. Vuda Piggeries also invested in improved genetics over the years which make its pork an international standard carcass confirmation and back fat thickness. The farm targets 10% of all mating to artificial insemination, by importing pure bred semen from Premier Pig Genetics of Australia. This is because Fiji lacks a sufficient genetic pool to select improved stock.
The farm utilizes local feed by-products and these include coconut meal, molasses, fish and meat meals, grain offal's, brewer's grains and cooked chicken waste. These by-products are then carefully blended with some imported ingredients to get a balanced ration at the least cost. The farm formulates 4 different rations for different sizes of pigs.
According to Mr Cole, “The daily feed bill at the farm is over $3,000 so it is important to get it right”. Feed formulations are continuously updated by their nutritionist from Natural Resource Management New Zealand using least cost systems as, “this is essential to maintain competitiveness with imports”, said Mr. Cole.
Pigs are sold into two distinct markets. Fiji Meats Ltd, a part owner of the business takes the majority of pigs for processing into bacon and hams for the country’s tourism industry. The farm also sells to the ‘farm gate trade’ to meet the demand for traditional feasts and functions.
Cole confirms that Vuda Piggeries is environmentally responsible and is being green in their business operations. For instance, the farm converts its solid waste into compost, much of which is underneath the flowers at the Intercontinental at Natadola Bay.
Facing and overcoming daily challenges is nothing new for the weathered businessman with the latest being the global financial crisis and the devaluation of the Fiji dollar, which has impacted on their annual production costs, “Our costs of production, because of the efficiencies achieved, are significantly lower than our island neighbours. Currently, because of the devaluation, our farm gate price is even below the Australian farm gate price”, said Mr. Cole. “We could therefore export to our island neighbours but currently local supply and demand is in balance. If we are to export or if local tourism grows strongly, we will need further investment to meet demand”.
Fortunately, the farm was not at all directly affected by the H1N1 virus. According to Mr. Cole, the only impact that the H1N1 virus had on the farm was the cancellation of a school visit. “Parents were concerned that the pigs might infect their children. The reality was that there was more chance of the children infecting the pigs”, noted an amused Cole. This highlights how important it is to properly handle the dissemination of information.
Despite being a fairly new venture, Vuda Piggeries is committed and prioritised in breaking even before they consider expanding. Cole added that minimising debt has been tough due to a disease problem at the farm site in the last year and also with the downturn of tourism which has resulted in a loss for the business. Nevertheless, he remains confident that things will improve for “to see the rainbow one must first endure some rain.” Vuda Piggeries have proven themselves as survivors. They have managed to endure challenges and continue to rise above shortcomings; and are still striving to ensure that they continue to uphold their reputation as the most efficient pork producers in the country.
commercial piggery farm with over 440 sows and 4200 total stock, supplying to major tourism players in Fiji.
Vuda Piggery was initially purchased from Saha Deo in 1992 by West Farm Holdings and Fiji Meats. West Farm Holdings owned by Mr. Simon Cole and his wife Amelia, bought the farm with the aim to push pig production parameters in the local environment to meet or exceed world
standards. Mr. Cole who has worked in the Pacific Agricultural sector for over 25 years and is an expert in Agricultural
development and management sees to the planning and the construction of the
piggery farm.
Previously situated at Vuda Point, the company relocated to a new site on the Vuda Back Road in 2002, with the new piggery now located on top of a hill. It is specially designed to maximize efficiency and reduce the impact of the hot tropical environment on its temperate occupants. The farm employs 13 staff, including drivers and administrative staff.
Total investment in the new farm is estimated at about FJ$8,000 “per sow place”. With over 420 sows it is an investment of over $3.3 million. Vuda Piggeries also invested in improved genetics over the years which make its pork an international standard carcass confirmation and back fat thickness. The farm targets 10% of all mating to artificial insemination, by importing pure bred semen from Premier Pig Genetics of Australia. This is because Fiji lacks a sufficient genetic pool to select improved stock.
The farm utilizes local feed by-products and these include coconut meal, molasses, fish and meat meals, grain offal's, brewer's grains and cooked chicken waste. These by-products are then carefully blended with some imported ingredients to get a balanced ration at the least cost. The farm formulates 4 different rations for different sizes of pigs.
According to Mr Cole, “The daily feed bill at the farm is over $3,000 so it is important to get it right”. Feed formulations are continuously updated by their nutritionist from Natural Resource Management New Zealand using least cost systems as, “this is essential to maintain competitiveness with imports”, said Mr. Cole.
Pigs are sold into two distinct markets. Fiji Meats Ltd, a part owner of the business takes the majority of pigs for processing into bacon and hams for the country’s tourism industry. The farm also sells to the ‘farm gate trade’ to meet the demand for traditional feasts and functions.
Cole confirms that Vuda Piggeries is environmentally responsible and is being green in their business operations. For instance, the farm converts its solid waste into compost, much of which is underneath the flowers at the Intercontinental at Natadola Bay.
Facing and overcoming daily challenges is nothing new for the weathered businessman with the latest being the global financial crisis and the devaluation of the Fiji dollar, which has impacted on their annual production costs, “Our costs of production, because of the efficiencies achieved, are significantly lower than our island neighbours. Currently, because of the devaluation, our farm gate price is even below the Australian farm gate price”, said Mr. Cole. “We could therefore export to our island neighbours but currently local supply and demand is in balance. If we are to export or if local tourism grows strongly, we will need further investment to meet demand”.
Fortunately, the farm was not at all directly affected by the H1N1 virus. According to Mr. Cole, the only impact that the H1N1 virus had on the farm was the cancellation of a school visit. “Parents were concerned that the pigs might infect their children. The reality was that there was more chance of the children infecting the pigs”, noted an amused Cole. This highlights how important it is to properly handle the dissemination of information.
Despite being a fairly new venture, Vuda Piggeries is committed and prioritised in breaking even before they consider expanding. Cole added that minimising debt has been tough due to a disease problem at the farm site in the last year and also with the downturn of tourism which has resulted in a loss for the business. Nevertheless, he remains confident that things will improve for “to see the rainbow one must first endure some rain.” Vuda Piggeries have proven themselves as survivors. They have managed to endure challenges and continue to rise above shortcomings; and are still striving to ensure that they continue to uphold their reputation as the most efficient pork producers in the country.
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