21 Jan 2024

A P4.2m poultry abattoir is being constructed for Mmasebotse cooperative in Sefhophe .

Funded through the Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID) programme under Ministry of Agriculture, the project is expected to be completed in 12 weeks with the capacity to slaughter 1 000 to 1 500 chickens per day.

“Upon completion, this land mark abattoir will unlock opportunities within the poultry value chain and as a result create employment and prosperity for our district,” Mmadinare MP, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said at the ground breaking ceremony of the abattoir project in Sefhophe on January 19

He said in an effort to increase the contribution of small-scale poultry producers, his ministry came up with an initiative that supported small scale poultry producers hence the strategy to resuscitate small scale poultry production was developed with small scale poultry producers clustered, registered as cooperatives, registered with Procurement and Assets Disposal Board and Economic Development Drive.

He said this would enable poultry producers to have market access to government institutions, adding that it was through this initiative that his ministry facilitated registration of seven Small-scale producer clusters in Sefhophe, Mahalapye, Ramotswa, Kanye, Tsabong, Molepolole and Mochudi.

Furthermore, Mr Molebatsi who is also Assistant Minister of Agriculture encouraged Mmasebotse cooperative and other poultry producers in the SPEDU region to utilise the initiative optimally and encouraged them to also get into strategic joint ventures. He said his ministry together with the cluster committee would run the abattoir for five years thereafter the facility would be handed over to the cooperative.

For her part the Deputy Permanent Secretary responsible for Livestock Farming, Dr Boitumelo Mogome-Maseko said  the broiler industry contributed 51 000 tonnes, which was above the national demand of 41 000 tonnes.

She said small-scale poultry producers contributed 206 tonnes of which was supplied to government institutions.

Dr Mogome-Maseko said the poultry sector which employed 3 557 people, had the potential to employ more people. 

She  called  on poultry producers to increase their throughput to enable the abattoir to operate at full capacity.

Mmasebotse Cooperative chairperson Ms Gothatamang Mozingwa thanked the government for turning their dream into reality, adding that the cooperative members had been waiting patiently for this abattoir for many years.

She said the idea of an abattoir came about after realising that poultry producers made losses because their produce reached the market in bad condition due to lack of proper storage, poor handling and poor hygiene standards.

She said she and other members approached the government to apply for the construction of the abattoir which took years to get a funding. 

She thanked the MP and other government officials for ensuring that the project was funded and delivered as desired.

Formed in 2009, Mmasebotse cooperative is made up of poultry producers from Mmadinare, Sefhophe, Bobonong and Tsetsebjwe.  Ends