Published: 05 September 2013

Giant poultry producer, Irvines day old chicks has embarked on a programme to assist small-scale farmers to produce poultry to help them increase their cashflows and help improve nutrition in the country.

Under the programme Irvines is providing the small-scale farmers with day old chicks, chicken feed and support services and in turn the farmers will be paid for the chickens that they would have delivered minus the cost on inputs that Irvines would have given them. The programme is also expected to help Irvine's Zimbabwe to increase production of chickens to meet the growing demand for poultry products.

The company is already producing an average of 600 000 chicks per week and through this programme.

In an interview, Irvines chief executive Mr David Irvines said the project of developing chicken production in the rural areas is part of their indigenisation plan.

"Most small scale producers in the rural areas are failing to raise the capital needed to purchase day old chicks. So we decided to provide them with the chicks for them to produce on our behalf," he said.

Mr Irvine also said they had acquired sophisticated machinery that is going to prevent day old chicks' mortality.
- herald

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