Command Broiler starts bearing fruit

Command Broiler starts bearing fruit
Published: 25 May 2018
Poultry farmers who benefited under the Government's Command Broiler Programme in Goromonzi have started delivering their birds to Kudu Creek Abattoir for processing.

The birds are coming mostly from villagers, AI farmers and a few from A2 farmers.

Speaking after touring one of the seven pilot projects at Kudu Creek Abattoir in Goromonzi District on Tuesday, the National Taskforce, Special Programme on Crops, Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife Production chairman Mr Justin Mupamhanga said the farmers have started harvesting their "fruits".

"Goromonzi, which received the first batch of chicks, has completed the cycle and the chicks are ready for the market," said Mr Mupamhanga.

He said that Sakunda Holdings is the offtaker of the chicks and is buying the birds at $2,50 per kg of live weight.

"They have directed that the birds be taken to Kudu Creek for processing," said Mr Mupamhanga, who is also the Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet.

"Stop order forms signed by each farmer are in place and the farmers will be paid by the Government through funding by Sakunda within seven days of delivering their birds to the abattoir and after the cost of inputs plus four percent surcharge has been deducted."

Mr Mupamhanga described the broiler project as another successful story under Command Agriculture.

"The pilot programme has given us confidence and we are going to be rolling out the programme to other provinces countrywide," he said.

"It is, however, going to be staggered so that we do not destabilise the market."

So far, there are seven pilot projects running in various districts.

The first district to receive 20 000 birds was Goromonzi on April 18. The other districts were Mazowe, Zvimba, Seke and Murehwa, which also received 20 00 birds each.

Mr Mupamhanga said the chicks were distributed to 66 beneficiaries and the project is yet to cover the three remaining districts of Shamva, Marondera and Harare. The project has a cycle of 35 days.

Earlier on, Mr Mupamhanga and his delegation were taken through the processes at Kudu Creek Abattoir.

Upon arrival, the birds are weighed, then taken for slaughtering, cleaning and packaging.

"The process we saw here is sufficient proof that what President Emerson Mnangagwa initiated when he was then Vice President, is bearing fruits that are tangible," he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, one of the directors of Kudu Creek Abattoirs, Mr Ozias Bvute, hailed the national taskforce for touring their abattoir to witness the work being done.

He pledged to continue complimenting Government's effort to restore the nation to its bread-basket status it was known for.

"We are confident that as the programme seeks to gather steam, more of our people are going to be empowered," said Mr Bvute, whose abattoir project employs at 600 workers. We will continue with this good work for our nation."

The Command Livestock was launched in December last year and was built on the success of the Command Agriculture of the 2016-2017 season, which saw the country producing enough grain to meet the national demand.

Sakunda, a company in the fuel business, pledged to support the beef component by investing $10 million for beef production. At least 200 head of cattle worth $167 000 were bought and distributed during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North each got 100 cattle on a cost-recovery basis.

Sixty-six farmers from both provinces benefited.

The turnaround period for this sector is five years.
- the herald
Tags: Mupanhanga,

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