KOTIDO, May 19, 2026 — Pig farmers across Kotido District are facing a deepening economic crisis as a mysterious and highly contagious disease continues to decimate the local swine population
For more than a month, livestock owners in Nakapelimoru Sub-county and surrounding areas have watched their pigs lose appetite, fall severely ill and eventually die, leaving farmers counting losses.
The strange disease has not only threatened the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, but has also triggered a desperate surge in the local pork market, with some farmers attempting to sell potentially infected pigs at throwaway prices to avoid total losses.
Farmers say the disease exhibits symptoms similar to African Swine Fever and has spread rapidly across the sub-county. According to local reports, affected pigs initially refuse to feed, become weak and lethargic, and die within a short period.
The lack of an official diagnosis from veterinary authorities has left farmers in panic as they watch their primary source of income disappear.
Phillip Lochomin, a pig farmer in Nakapelimoru, is among those hardest hits by the outbreak.
Lochomin said the disease has killed nine of his pigs in just one month. For a small-scale farmer in the Karamoja sub-region, the financial blow has been devastating.
“I have lost more than Shs3 million,” Lochomin said, adding that the speed of the outbreak left him with little time to seek treatment or isolate his remaining animals.
The crisis has also changed the way livestock is traded in the district.
Alex Ngorok, another affected farmer, said many livestock owners are now using the weekly Monday market in Nakapelimoru to sell off their pigs before the animals fall sick. The resulting “fire sale” has flooded the local market with pork.
Observations at Nakapelimoru market on Monday highlighted the severity of the situation, with pork prices plunging as supply far exceeded demand.
Reporters at the scene observed pig carcasses being sold at a fraction of their normal market value. In some cases, pork was reportedly being sold on credit to any willing buyer.
Andrew Mwalu, a pig farmer in Kotido Municipality, said he has already lost most of his pigs and is struggling to save his remaining three.
His experience reflects a growing trend among local farmers who say they are helpless against the unidentified disease.
While farmers are taking drastic measures to minimise their financial losses, the situation has raised serious concerns over public health and animal disease control.
The unregulated slaughter and sale of meat from sick animals pose potential health risks to consumers. However, many farmers say they are left with a difficult choice between suffering a total loss or salvaging a small return from their animals.
In response to the escalating crisis, farmers are appealing to the Kotido District Veterinary Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF] for urgent intervention.
They are calling for immediate collection of samples for laboratory testing to establish the exact nature of the disease.
Farmers argue that without a professional diagnosis and the implementation of vaccination or quarantine measures, the district’s pig industry , a vital component of the local economy — could collapse entirely.
As pig deaths continue to rise, residents of Nakapelimoru and Kotido Municipality remain uncertain about the future.
The resolution of the crisis now depends largely on how quickly district authorities can identify the disease and provide guidance to prevent further transmission. Until then, farmers in Kotido continue to count their losses, one animal at a time.
However, Kotido District Veterinary Officer Joseph Longoli blamed farmers for failing to alert veterinary extension workers when the deaths first began, saying the delay hampered an early response.
“The farmers did not notify the veterinary extension workers about the death of the pigs,” Longoli said.
He confirmed that the department is now moving to address the disease outbreak.
“We now have to swing into action and collect samples, which will be taken to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries for testing,” he added.
Longoli also issued a stern warning against the slaughter and sale of sick animals, cautioning that those involved risk prosecution for endangering public health.
“I warn consumers against buying pork that has not been inspected and approved for consumption,” he said, urging members of the public to look for official inspection stamps confirming the pork has been cleared by health authorities.
https://thecooperator.news/gulu-pdm-beneficiaries-suffer-losses-following-death-of-pigs/
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