MAUN: Plans are underway to commence operations at the Maun abbatoir, with the P7 million expansion project there expected to be completed later this week.
The abattoir has been shut down for refurbishments since July 24, 2015. The refurbishments included the addition of the automatic operations upgrading from the manual system.
In an interviw with Mmegi Business, plant manager at the abbatoir, Mothobi Mothobi, said the refurbishment is expected to increase the slaughter capacity of the abattoir from 90 to 120 per day.
“We are expecting the plant to be handed over in the courses of this week. After the handover we will go through another phase of cleaning and disinfecting the abattoir. The cleaning exercise will include taking samples and swabs and if the results pass production will then commence, hoepfuly by the second week of september,” he said.
According to Mothobi, the abattoir will only slaughter cattle from the A2 zone, due to the current Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in Ngamiland.
Mothobi explained that during the period of the closure, BMC had planned to slaughter cattle from Ngamiland at the Francistown abattoir but this had not been possible due to the outbreak of FMD in western Hainaveld.
Due to the outbreaks, the Department of Veterinary Services(DVS) instituted cattle movement ban in the FMD affected areas. The exportation of live cattle to Zimbabwe has also been suspended due to the outbreak of the disease.
“ The cattle export suspension was initially due to the outbreak in Kareng. Unfortunately, just when we thought the situation was improving and had started to make consultations to commence the export, there was an outbreak in western Hainaveld and consequently in Matsaudi. We will now have to wait for the DVS to give us the greenlightto begin the exports,” Mothobi said.
