Pig Farm in Zambia: Pork Supply, Biosecurity and Climate Guide

Key takeaways

Official-looking pig statistics for Zambia disagree: an FAO figure in a Pig333 article gives 1.16 million pigs and 24,249 t of pigmeat, while a 2020 figure quoted by Food Business Africa is 65,224 t. We read a summary of the second, and Zambia has reportedly had no livestock census for about fifteen years.

Reporting says marketed pork comes almost entirely from commercial farms, and that the Zambeef Masterpork abattoir near Lusaka ran at about half capacity because of pig shortages, with 90% of its pigs from large and emerging farmers around Lusaka (we read a summary).

A pig biosecurity compartment has been launched by a commercial operator; swine fever outbreaks have cut supply.

Lusaka is a mild plateau climate with cool dry-season nights (coolest month 17.3 °C at the city airport; record low 0.2 °C at the main airport).

The market in brief

Zambia’s processors have said they cannot get enough pigs, but national pig statistics are poor. We found conflicting numbers, so we show them side by side instead of choosing one.

Indicator	Value	Source
Pig population	1.16 million	FAO figure in a Pig333 article by A. Olasupo (31 March 2025); reference year unclear
Pigmeat production	24,249 t	same
Pork production, 2020	65,224 t (3.5 kg per person)	Food Business Africa (we read a summary)
Pig herd, 2001	481,000	same article, citing an old figure
Livestock census	none for about fifteen years	same article (we read a summary)

The same reporting says that marketed pork is generated almost exclusively on commercial farms, while traditionally raised pigs are mostly kept for home consumption. Zambeef’s CEO said supply was nowhere near demand, and the Masterpork abattoir worked at about half of its design capacity, with 90% of the pigs it slaughtered coming from large and emerging farmers around Lusaka. Drought in 2019/20 and currency depreciation raised feed prices (all from a summary of the reporting).

What this means for a project:

Check demand with a buyer, not with statistics. Talk to processors and see how to start a commercial pig farm.
Feed price decides the margin. See do you need an on-farm feed mill and the business plan checklist.
Biosecurity can be a selling point. A certified compartment has been launched in the country; see ASF biosecurity for pig farms.

Climate: mild plateau, cool dry-season nights

Place	Coolest month (mean)	Warmest month (mean)	Record low / high	Rain per year
Lusaka City Airport	June, 17.3 °C	October, 24.8 °C	3.0 °C / 39.5 °C	757.5 mm
Kenneth Kaunda International Airport	July, 15.9 °C	November, 24.3 °C	0.2 °C / 39.6 °C	729.4 mm

Source: Wikipedia, Lusaka (NOAA 1991–2020 normals; two stations in the article give somewhat different values).

Cool nights in June–August mean piglets need local heat and houses need draught control, while the hot season before the rains needs cooling; see piglet heating and heat stress in pigs. We calculate for your site.

Rules and who to ask

Permits, veterinary registration, council rules and import requirements are set by national and local authorities and change. Ask the ministry responsible for fisheries and livestock and its veterinary services, your district livestock office, the council planning and environmental offices, and your clearing agent about imported equipment; our guide to importing pig farm equipment from China lists the usual documents.

We are ready to work with you on a project in line with the requirements of the country where it will be built. The documents and conditions are agreed with our specialists through the live chat on this site or at sales@hnyzgroup.com.

How we approach a project here

Your data: sows or pig places, site, water, power, buyer and timeline.
Layout: flows of pigs, feed, people and manure with biosecurity zoning.
Climate and power design: warmth for piglets, cooling, standby power.
Equipment, installation, training: by stage with a written scope.
Documents: confirmed for your country before quotation.

Estimate pig places with the sow farm planning calculator, read turnkey pig farm, and write to us through the contact page.

Sources

Pig333 (3tres3), Africa’s pig industry: past and present status (A. Olasupo, 31 March 2025): FAO figures.
Food Business Africa, articles on Zambeef pig prices and the pig buffer zone: we read search summaries only; the site could not be opened, and article dates are not confirmed.
Wikipedia, Lusaka: climate tables.

Frequently asked questions

How many pigs does Zambia have?

No source we read gives a reliable current count. A Pig333 article lists FAO figures of 1.16 million pigs and 24,249 t of pigmeat (reference year unclear), while an older figure of 481,000 pigs dates from 2001. Reporting says Zambia has had no livestock census for about fifteen years, so confirm numbers locally.

Is there demand for locally produced pork?

Reporting from Food Business Africa (we read a summary) says Zambeef’s Masterpork abattoir ran at about half its design capacity because of pig shortages and that imported bacon and pork products are on supermarket shelves. That is a company statement about supply, not a market study.

What is the disease situation?

Swine fever outbreaks have reduced pig supply according to the same reporting. A commercial operator, Zambia Pig Genetics, launched a biosecurity compartment with certified piggeries at Chisamba and Chongwe (we read a summary).

Which authority do I ask about permits?

Start with the Ministry responsible for fisheries and livestock and its veterinary services, your provincial and district livestock offices, and the local council planning and environmental offices. Requirements change, so confirm them before you design.

Zambia pig farming: processor demand, thin statistics and a plateau climate