Kampala — TWO meat processing factories are to be set up in Nakaseke and Lyantonde districts, the state minister for animal husbandry, Maj. Bright Rwamirama, has said.

The factories would be established with the help of Nortura, a Norwegian agricultural cooperative.

The cooperative operates slaughterhouses, meat and eggs processing plants in Norway.

"The equipment is ready. We are finalising technicalities to have them shipped into the country," Rwamirama said.

He, however, did not disclose the cost of the machinery. He said work would commence next year.

Rwamirama said the country has been divided into four zones, adding that each zone would get a meat-processing plant.

"We have been restocking livestock in the east and northern districts.

"We think farmers have raised enough animals to supply the factories," Rwamirama said while addressing livestock farmers at UMA conference hall, recently.

He decried the poor beef handling and the low animal stocks, saying they were a big challenge to the country's beef export prospects.

"Some beef dealers are still slaughtering animals under trees." He said the practice must stop.

"Poor hygiene is a challenge that needs immediate attention," he said.

He said Uganda's quantity and quality of beef was still too low to meet the demands of both the domestic and export markets.

Rwamirama however commended Nortura for a one year feasibility study which they conducted about developing an export oriented meat industry.

The one-year study was funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation and was conducted by Nortura.

The study covered animal husbandry and animal trading system, animal health and meat hygiene conditions for export, abattoir, meat packaging and processing environmental and social impact.

At the same function farmers elected leaders for the newly formed Uganda Meat Producers Cooperative.

Uganda Beef Producers' Association (UBPA) Chairman Sam Kizito said Uganda currently has a stock of about 7.3 million cattle, compared to Tanzania, which has over 33 million and Kenya's 40 million.

Meat production in Uganda stands at 142,000 metric tonnes, with beef contributing 107,000, goat meat (28,000 metric tonnes) and sheep (5,000 tonnes).

The national per capita consumption of meat has stuck to only 6 kgs, which is below the 50 kilogrammes recommended by Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization.

Kizito said they had embarked on opening up UBPA district enterprises to sensitize livestock farmers to adopt better methods of rearing animals and handling meat.