Maun abattoir starts operations next month

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Thursday July 22, 2010 00:00

 

The plant is expected to be fully operational at the end of August after the completion of on-going refurbishments. Molebatsi said the delay in the rehabilitation of the abattoir which has been idle since 1995 is due to challenges associated with reviving such a huge and sophisticated facility. 'These were primarily related to delayed delivery of vital components, following a strike by transporters in South Africa and delayed completion of the water treatment plant,' Molebatsi explained. The Assistant Minister said BMC conducted a trial slaughter on June 24 to test the processes, machinery and hygiene of the facility before operations can commence fully.

He said shortcomings are currently being rectified and a low volume kill of about 10-15 cattle per day is expected to commence this week until the cooking facility is completed in August. Parliament was told that meat from the low volume kill, which is uncooked, will only be consumed in Ngamiland. The Maun abattoir will not be exporting meat to the European markets. The facility was closed in 1995 after all cattle in Ngamiland were killed due to an outbreak of cattle lung disease. By then the region had the highest number of cattle. Farmers in Ngamiland were compensated with P500 for each beast while the government also partly replaced their livestock.

Meanwhile, Molebatsi told Parliament that the Foot and Mouth Disease was last reported in Ngamiland in November last year. He said government continues to face challenges such as farmer apathy  which results in poor vaccination coverage in some areas. He added that the flooding of the Okavango Delta made patrolling and maintenance of the buffalo fence difficult.