Lack of funding stalls poultry abattoir

Financial challenges have stalled the completion of a chicken abattoir, the first of its kind in Manicaland, which was due for completion before the end of the year.

The abattoir costs $120 000.

Manicaland Poultry Association (MPA) chairperson Enock Mbendani said while they have part of the equipment, which would be the first for the entire province, the process was being frustrated by their inability to access bank loans.

“We have most of the equipment on site but we are falling a bit short on our finances to complete the works and get everything going.

“When you hear banks saying they support everyone it’s a lie, they don’t support small players like ourselves,” Mbendani claimed.

“The abattoir will allow small scale and informal breeders to also gain access to the formal market and we are challenging these producers to come forward and work with us,” he said.

The abattoir has capacity to process 8 000 chickens a day but Mbendani they would start with 3 000 chickens a day.

“It can also be upgraded from that 8 000 a day to a much bigger figure if supplies for the chickens improve across the province.

“Poultry farmers have decided to unite and work on the abattoir in light of the challenges we have been facing in accessing the formal market which was now threatening the viability of most of our farms,” said Mbendani.

MPA, said Mbendani, was helping farmers to also source drugs and chicken feed as this was proving difficult for individual farmers to access these. DailyNews