Astral Foods opens broiler hatchery in Mozambique
South African poultry producer, Astral Foods, has extended its African footprint by opening its first broiler hatchery in Mozambique, following the set up of a poultry facility in Zambia.
Mozpintos Broiler Hatchery, about 45km southwest of Maputo, has an initial capacity of 158,000 day-old chickens a week. Astral CEO Chris Schutte said the development and expansion plans for Mozpintos were part of Astral’s strategic African growth plan.
He said the company had been involved in Mozambique for more than 10 years and had experienced growth in the business. “Based on the same model as successfully implemented in Zambia, it was the next logical step in expanding our operations in this economically vibrant country, where Astral already has had a presence since 2000, through its feed mill business, Meadow Mozambique Limitada,” Schutte said.
The hatchery imports hatching eggs from its South African operation, National Chicks, but the company said there were three poultry sheds on the farm that would be refurbished to house broiler breeders. This will allow the hatchery to be self-sufficient in the supply of hatching eggs.
The MD of Astral’s African operations, Roedolf Steenkamp, said the business plan for Africa begins by entering a market with feed premixes and concentrates, followed by feed production, then identifying viable options to enter the poultry industry.
