Efforts are in high gear to rebuild the National Abattoir to international standards.
This was according to Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy Ryan Anselm who was addressing a press conference held in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Finance this week.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Blue and Green Economy signed a contract with local firm, Regional Contractors Inc., in April 2024 for the reconstruction of the National Abattoir.
The contract valued at $6.6 million-dollars, underscores the government’s commitment to expanding the agri-food system through investments in key agricultural infrastructure, aimed at improving food safety standards and increasing production.
The facility which is located in Layou was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria in September 2017.
“It involves a chicken abattoir that has the capacity for 1000 birds an hour,” he said.
“We are calling people to invest in broilers,” Anselm stated. “So, we are talking about 1000 birds in one hour, so the capacity of the abattoir is tremendous.”
This, he added, means that production output for any one farm ought to be 5000 birds.
“So our strategy at the ministry is that we want to work with 20 commercial farmers, so each of those commercial farmers have to be producing 5000 birds minimum.”
According to Anselm, this is part of a wider strategy to reduce the importation of pork and poultry.
“We are not just building an abattoir for building an abattoir sake, it is part of a wider strategy to reduce the import bill,” he explained. “Our import bill for poultry is past 20 million [dollars] annually and if our farmers can get some of that money it’s critical.”
Anselm revealed that works have been completed on the pig abattoir and 13 percent on the chicken abattoir.
Instead of running your mouth and trying to destroy Dominica ask those lazy do nothing UWP puppets to raise chickens for the abbatoir.
DOMINICA DOES NOT HAVE THE CHICKEN FARMS TO SUPPLY THE NUMBER YOU ALL CLAIMING
once again building things then going to imagine the animals to send to it . dca barely have chicken farms , just small holdings with maybe 50 chickens at the best
UWP supporters getting more foolish every day.So you are saying after Maria destroyed Dominica and wipe it off the face of the map,the Labour party led by Roosevelt Skerrit should not build back.You are also saying the abbatoir should not be rebuilt.No wonder all you blue haters of the state told the UN do not help Dinica after Maria.Everything positive for DOMINICA the blue A- holes against.
I thought we already had an abattoir since in the days when (Johno) Johnson Drigo, from Castlebruce was minister of agriculture. Wasn’t he bragging of how many chickens can be slaughtered in a second. You all have forgotten, but not me.
When will this wastage of the states resources stop? Just build and rebuild,
build and rebuild
build and rebuild…Oh my God.
Same thing with the lights at Windsor Park.
Some people need to be held accountable.
Mr. Rabs Bannis was another sample from Cbruce but at least to his credit he beat two doctors who ran against him back then.