• Côte d’Ivoire imports 35 breeding pigs to boost pork sector

• Project targets genetic gains, restocking after swine fever losses

• Pork imports surged 21% annually amid rising local demand
  

The Ivorian government is accelerating efforts to improve genetic quality and boost local pork production. In line with this goal, the Ministry of Animal and Fisheries Resources received a batch of 35 breeding pigs on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, including Piétrain, Landrace, and Large White breeds imported from France.

The initiative is part of the Pork Sector Development Project (Pro-Porc), which had previously imported a first batch of 50 breeding animals in 2023, according to the state media AIP.

Monique Gueu, the Pro-Porc project coordinator, said the new pigs will be crossbred with local breeds to produce breeders with superior genetic traits, such as higher prolificacy, faster growth, and improved carcass quality, to meet market demand.

The move aims to broaden the genetic base of the national herd and ensure lasting improvements in the quality of breeding stock available to farmers. Local adult pigs typically weigh only 60 kg and produce five to six piglets per litter, whereas European breeds can reach 110 kg and deliver up to 15 live piglets.

Addressing Disease and Demand

A key challenge for the Ivorian pork sector is restocking the pig population, which has been severely reduced by repeated African swine fever outbreaks over the past decade. The latest outbreak, in 2024, led to the slaughter of more than 100,000 pigs to contain the spread of the virus, causing an estimated 20 billion CFA francs in economic losses.

The project also aims to reduce the shortfall in local pork production, which has increased dependence on imports amid sharply rising domestic demand.

According to FAO data, Côte d’Ivoire’s imports of pork and related products grew by about 21% per year, rising from 55,712 metric tons in 2019 to 121,055 tons in 2023. The Ministry of Animal Resources estimates the national pig population at roughly 464,000 head.

Stéphanas Assocle