Mvomero — The new modern abattoir worth 10 million US dollars investment with the capacity to slaughter 100 cattle and 1,000 goats per day has been launched in Mvomero District in Morogoro.
It is dubbed Nguru Hills Ranch Ltd has a capacity of processing quality meat which meets international standards and hence, looks to increase exports of meat products and create jobs and add foreign earnings.
Launching the abattoir here on Monday, the Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Mr Mashimba Ndaki said that the investment in modern livestock slaughtering projects is to translate the government's mission to fight poverty by providing jobs for Tanzanians and breeders to find a reliable market for their livestock in raising them economically.
"When more investors are attracted to this sector, it means that living standards of the animals' breeders and farmers who form a good chunk of the Tanzanian population go up and hence, this is a wise decision aiming at uplifting people's income,"
Mr Ndaki asked the investors to consider the standards and quality required in the foreign market to bring competition as the demand for meat abroad is greater than what is produced.
He said that currently, the foreign meat demand has increased significantly in the countries of Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Comoros and Kenya.
He added that the China market is being explored after a trade agreement signed recently when President Samia Suluhu Hassan toured the nation recently.
The slaughterhouse is a joint venture of three entities including the Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF), in partnership with shareholders such as Eclipse Investment (LLC) from Oman, and Busara Investment Company (LLP) of Tanzania.
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According to PSSSF Director General, Mr Hosea Kashimba, the shareholders have invested a total of 10 million US dollars and out of that, PSSSF has invested 3.9 million dollars and thus has 39 per cent shares while five million dollars is a loan from Azania Bank.
On the other side, Eclipse Investment (LLC) from Oman owns 46 per cent Busara Investment Company (LLP) with 15 per cent shares.
He said the project has important infrastructure including a grazing area of 2,328 hectares, an area capable of accommodating 10,000 cattle and 15,000 goats at the same time, and water infrastructure involving five wells capable of producing 20,000 litres per hour.
He said the investment in the slaughterhouse has provided 350 direct jobs and more than 2,000 others resulting from the value chain.
Mr Kashimba said that the construction of the abattoir has enabled the presence of a reliable market, increased income for breeders who sell their livestock and reduced conflicts between breeders and farmers.
For her part, Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Ms Fatuma Mwassa shared strategies for assuring the abattoir is reaping dividends which includes allocating 30,000 acres of land for the development of five ranches that will be given to breeders with great ability to fatten livestock for sale to the investor.
Ms Mwassa said this strategy is been reached as the launched abattoirs need to buy cattle with an average weight of 250 to 310 kilogrammes, against those that are currently raised by breeders, where most of them have an average weight of 120 to 150 kilogrammes.
