eThekwini launches sheep production facility in Cato Ridge
|Published
The newly launched Cato Ridge sheep production facility is set to produce 12 000 sheep and has already employed 20 long-term employees from the community. eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and Chairperson of Economic Development and Planning Committee in eThekwini, Thanduxolo Sabelo during a walk-about at the facility. Picture: Supplied.
Durban - In the effort to fight youth unemployment, the eThekwini Municipality has launched a R3.5 million Intensive Sheep feed lot facility at the Cato Ridge Agri-Park Incubator in Hammarsdale, in the outer west of Durban, on Thursday.
This sheep production facility is set to produce 12 000 sheep and has already employed 20 long-term employees from the community.
Facilitated by the City’s Business Support, Tourism, Markets and Agri-Business Unit, the facility features two intensive sheep feed lot facilities that accommodate 1000 lambs per feed lot. It also has feeding and storage space as well as a weighing area.
The incubation facility also houses poultry farmers who were previously employed by Rainbow Chicken farm and, after retrenchment, started their own poultry business.
One of the beneficiaries, Sifiso Myeni, Chief Executive Officer of AgriHouse Group trading under their subsidiary KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Lamb, employs seven former Rainbow Chicken staff, including a farm manager.
“We provided necessary sheep farming training for them, and work commenced with our trial run of breeding 62 sheep, which was successful, and the sheep were bought by Pick ‘n Pay with a long-term follow-up order of delivering 2000 sheep on a monthly basis to the biggest retail outlet.”
Myeni thanked eThekwini for opening such a suitable sheep farming space, adding that sheep farming and its value chain had the potential to create employment.
Both the lamb and chicken producers highlighted the importance of having on-site abattoirs, which will mean they will be able to meet their demands and also cut costs.
Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda added that the municipality is looking for partners to invest about R40 million to assist with the rapid growth of sheep production within the municipality.
He said another short-term plan in the pipeline is the reopening or building of new abattoirs.