22 Nov 2022

Ministry of Agriculture has no plans to establish a satellite Botswana Meat Commission abattoir with focus on smallstock and poultry in addition to the one set up in Tsabong, given the low numbers of smallstock in the country.

Answering a question in Parliament, the Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said opening another smallstock abattoir might lead to diseconomies of scale and continuous loss in view of the 1.4 million population of smallstock as recorded in 2019.

He also said there was one private abattoir in Palapye with a capacity to slaughter 150 cattle and 600 smallstock per day which catered for those in the area.

“In terms of poultry, there are five privately owned poultry abattoirs around Palapye and Serowe, which are servicing the public.

They are Makoro, Lotsane Investment, COPEL Rancho, Tsa Mabele and Shear Poultry abattoirs with the slaughter capacity ranging from 500 to 20 000 birds per day,” he said.

Furthermore, he said if the abattoir was to be established in the Palapye area, skills required would include civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, veterinary public health as well as laboratory expertise.

Opportunities that will exist for many Batswana including Palapye residents and young graduates are temporary and permanent jobs, improved market access for livestock and livestock products as well as motivation for increased investment in poultry and smallstock.

Palapye Member of Parliament Mr Onneetse Ramogapi had asked if the minister would consider setting up a satellite abattoir in Palapye with special focus on smallstock and poultry given the centrality of Palapye and accessibility via road rail.

The MP had also wanted to know skills that would be required for such a facility and opportunities that would exist for the many Palapye residents and young graduate. ENDS