UGAR UKANDI ODEY, JOS
The neighborhoods and social destinations in Jos and other parts of Plateau are experiencing a sharp rise in the demand and consumption of pork by local residents irrespective of sex.
In the Jos metropolis, pork has become a competitive and highly priced item on the menu list of bars and wayside eateries, as the delicacy, served fried or roasted as perpered meat, is in hot demand by customers irrespective of age.
Popular locations for toasted or fried pork in Jos include Old Airport Junction, Hwolshe, Abattoir, Namu Junction, Rayfield, Tudun Wada, Kadima, Zarmaganda, Maiadikko, Dadin Kowa, Du, Kugiyer, Gold and Base Kabong, Jenta Adamu, Gada Biu, and Rukkuba Road, with even more enthralling ones springing up and counting on the books of the city.
Our investigations reveal that the business of roasting pork especially from noon to the evening hours when leisure peaks is springing up daily by the road sides, and the business is engaging mostly women and youth who require only modest capital and spare paraphernalia to start the business.
At the Jos Abattoir in Girring, Jos South local government area, it was gathered that against the old tradition of slaughtering pigs once a week and on Saturdays, killing of pigs in the slaughter house now is everyday because both demand and supply are on the rise. It was also gathered that because of the popularity of pork now, the price of live pig has hiked, as it goes for between N10,000 and N30,000 depending on the size and market situation and speculation for the day.
It was also learnt that piggery and pig farming have veritably become cherished options and investment preference as modern farming has started incorporating these aspects in a general concept and integrated approach favourable returns to scale.
Medical and health workers say the sudden favourable turn to pork is mostly on health grounds more than taste, preference, and diet variation. Medical sources say because of increasing problems and health complications associated with red meat consumption, and growing awarenesses to avoid red meat especially at certain ages, people have started having a better and more favourable appreciation of the pork as a worthy white meat brand.
