AFRICAN swine fever, a highly contagious viral disease, which was reported in Kabarole in June, has spread to Kyenjojo district, the commissioner for livestock health and entomology, Dr. Christopher Rutebarika, has said.

Rutebarika was speaking to New Vision recently about the current status of the disease in Kabarole district.

"I have been informed about the outbreak of African swine fever in Kyenjojo. I appeal to all farmers in the district to be extra careful, otherwise the disease is likely to spread to the entire sub-region," Rutebarika warned.

Farmers in Kabarole district had earlier on pleaded with the agriculture ministry to lift the quarantine it slapped on the movement of pigs in their area following the outbreak of the disease.

"I have been approached by Non-Governmental Organisations to supply them with 500 piglets, but I can't meet their demands because of the quarantine," said Boaz Baherezebwa, a pig farmer in Karambi sub-county.

He was on Friday taking the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) executive director, Dr. Sam Mugasi, on a tour of his farm.

His counterpart, Moses Nyakoojo, who owns over 150 pigs, also lamented about his failure to meet his daily needs because of the quarantine.

"I have orders to supply piglets to farmers within the district and those scattered in the countryside, but I can't supply because of the disease," he said.

Nyakoojo, who was among the first beneficiaries of the NAADS programme, says the piggery enterprise is one of the most profitable businesses.

His first pig produced 12 piglets and since then, he has never looked back. He sells a mature pig at between sh400,000 and sh600,000, depending on the size.