Africa-Press – Botswana. Irvine’s Botswana has invested more than P200 million in the poultry industry as part of its efforts to expand the company and grow the poultry sector in the country.
The business was changing lives in Africa by producing affordable poultry products and growing businesses. The group CEO, Mr Craig Irvine said during the company’s first, poultry expo at Sebele National Agriculture Show Grounds on Saturday. In Botswana, we produce day old chicks and poultry feed and this is a source of employment creation employment, Mr Irvine said.
He said Irvine’s Group supported over 60 000 small scale poultry businesses, of which over 6 000 were in Botswana, producing over 80 per cent of chicken consumed, across sub Saharan Africa.
Mr Irvine’s said the company believed that chicken meat should be promoted in the country as such would grow small scale farmers.
The company provides trusted and quality products, Mr Irvine said and that the hatchery which started operating in 2001 in Francistown, was its first investment, and was expanding to reach demand.
He said Irvine’s Botswana produced about 18 million day old chicks and about 72 000 tonness of feed per year.
Mr Irvine said 60 per cent of their production was absorbed by small scale farmers therefore, contributing about P678 million to local communities annually.
“We are here to change lives and produce affordable protein and business opportunities for many to explore and contributing US$640 million to Africa’s economy.” With the support of Irvine’s, he said many businesses started small and were now established and sustainable enterprises, stocking 6 000 chicks per cycle.
He said they impacted on many lives across Africa as it produced 327 000 tonnes of feed, which required more than 160 000 tonnes of maize and over 130 000 tonnes of soya beans, commodities which where possible, the company buys this from local small scale farmers.
He said some countries were self-sufficient in the said products therefore, getting it all from the local farmers. Started over 70 years ago with 100 chicks in a spare bedroom, by Mr Irvine’s grandmother who was motivated by shortage of chicken meat and eggs in Harare, Irvine’s Group is today one of the largest poultry companies in Africa with thousands workers.
He said the company started in 1950 in Zimbabwe, and 12 years later forged a partnership with COBBS, pioneers in poultry genetics. The company has moved to other parts of Africa, establishing in Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya.
He said the group produced over 100 billion chicks and about 327 tonnes of feed per year across establishments in the continent.
Country chief financial officer, Mr Andre Hoffman said Irvine’s Poultry Expo was a result of hard work and commitment.
He said the participation of exhibitors, sponsors and poultry farmers made the event possible, adding the expo would equally focus on supporting the future of the industry and encourage innovation hence it fostered partnership to better the industry
Business Botswana (BB) vice president, Southern region, Mr Odirile Merafhe said Irvine’s was committed to the development and growth of the country’s poultry industry. He said the company was not only a leader in the industry but a critical partner to BB, adding that Irvine’s had contributed to the development of BB poultry desk by providing guidance and resourcing its operation.
“We provide the visibility of the poultry sub sector, collect, consolidate, publish production data and performance statistics,” he said. Mr Merafhe said the desk had identified over 40 commercial poultry producers across the country, and by so doing building the foundation for a robust industry representation. He said working as a collective would unlock the full potential of the poultry sector in the country.
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