Pig farm wiped out

ABOUT 16 000 pigs are believed to have drowned at the Namibia Pig Farm outside Mariental.The farm is the main local supplier of pork to the Namibian market, and a ban on pork imports from South Africa is still in place following an outbreak of swine fever in that country.

The Chief Executive Officer of Namibia Pig Farm, Salomon Nemaire, could not say yesterday if any of the pigs had survived the devastating flood that hit Mariental on Saturday morning. But he said their chances of survival were slim, as the whole farm was under water.He said the loss would have a huge financial impact.Workers’ houses were also submerged and the workers had to go and live with relatives in town.Nemaire said the damage to the farm could not be determined by yesterday because the floodwater was still one metre high.”Assessments will be done once the water subsides,” he said.But he said their chances of survival were slim, as the whole farm was under water.He said the loss would have a huge financial impact.Workers’ houses were also submerged and the workers had to go and live with relatives in town.Nemaire said the damage to the farm could not be determined by yesterday because the floodwater was still one metre high.”Assessments will be done once the water subsides,” he said.