BMC Francistown abattoir still operational - CEO

Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday April 24, 2018 11:20

 

Briefing farmers at a Pitso that was organised by the city of Francistown, Tombale said the BMC abattoir is still operational contrary to claims that the abattoir closed. 

Tombale said the abattoir was operating below minimal level hence farmers think that it is closed. 

“The BMC abattoir is still operational. Some of you think that it is closed, but that is not the case. The abattoir is operating below minimal levels because of lack of supply of cattle. I urge you to bring your cattle to the abattoir in large numbers. The abattoir will completely close if you don’t bring your cattle to BMC,” Tombale said. 

Tombale stated that for the abattoir to operate above minimum levels it has to at least slaughter 800 cattle per week. 

He added that since the abattoir was opened it has never slaughtered the maximum amount of 400 cattle per day. 

During the highly charged event, Tombale said government will only take the drastic step of completely closing the abattoir down if it continues to operate below minimum levels. 

Farmers pledged to bring enough cattle to the abattoir to avert the abattoir being closed. 

They also pleaded with Tombale to pay them on time after they sold their cattle to BMC. 

The farmers added that failure by BMC to pay them on time was another factor that makes them not sell their cattle to the BMC. 

A few days back the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Patrick Ralotsia told a full special council meeting that the government will close the BMC abattoir in Francistown in three years’ time if it continues to get low supply of cattle from farmers. 

Then, Ralotsia had said over the years the BMC abattoir was running unprofitably because it was receiving low supply of cattle from farmers.