Everyone Owns a Piggery{2}
Okay, maybe not everyone owns a piggery, but it sure seems that way sometimes. If you don’t, your relatives probably do. There’s a good chance if you’re a foreigner, and have met a girl from the province, that you’ll be asked if you want to buy one, or build one.
I suppose everyone knows what a piggery is but just in case, Merriam-Webster defines a piggery as: a place where swine are kept. So a housed pig farm. Usually with concrete stalls in the Philippines, but configurations may vary. Size depends upon number of pigs, funds to build more stalls, and land to house it all.
From what I’ve read there are two basic ways to run a piggery: buying starter pigs and feeding them to market weight (grow out) & breeding your own (farrow-finish). There are pluses and minuses to both, but if I’m understanding it correctly, more money could be made with breeding your own, eventually. There is a good article on “Starting a Business in Hog/Swine Raising” if you are interested in the nitty gritty.
I have personally funded one piggery so far. I can not tell you if it is still in existence anymore. That would have been over three years ago, and I’m guessing it went the way of many piggeries, the funds from the sell of the pigs or piglets went to something other than the feed that was needed to keep it going.
As with many small family businesses in the Philippines, whether there is a profit depends upon the supervision and accountability implemented. I don’t see owning a small piggery as any real means of personal income, but more as a potential help to friends and family. It doesn’t hurt to have the baboy available for lechon at the next big party either. While I won’t be eating any of that, I know it is a MUST at any important event.
I’m no expert on the running of a piggery, and I doubt that I’ll ever be one. I do suppose that I’ll be involved with one, one way or another, as everyone owns a piggery, right?
Google+
Jun 30, 2011 @ 04:58:10
Generally, piggery in the Philippines is some sort of savings and leisure (kalingawan sa balay o sa uma) as not to be bored at home. But if one has the capital, it is a great deal for business as Filipino people are pork eaters. This is a nice article to the ones who is planning to have a piggery or baboyan.
Jun 30, 2011 @ 13:17:55
Well not being a pork eater myself, any piggery I’m involved with (if at all) will not be for me, but as I said, for others. Thanks for the term “baboyan”, I assume that is Cebuano.