Namibia: Chicken industry about to take flight

The processing plant should be fully operational in April and expects to commence slaughtering its first birds on April 18.

“Production should peak towards the middle of May 2012 with NPI being able to supply the whole Namibian market towards the end of May,” the company said.

The chicken industry expects to receive beginning industry protection as of  the beginning of June.

“The mammoth task has been undertaken to interview the more than 1 000 qualified applications received from Windhoek and Okahandja, 300 of those applicants will be employed in the plant. Close to 75 people are already permanently employed at NPI,” the company said.

Four hundred skilled and unskilled workers are currently employed in the construction  of the fully integrated poultry farm on the Farm Klein Okapuka 30 km north of Windhoek, construction which is expected to end near June.

NPI said construction of most of the in total 120 000 m3 of structures is already complete, and that the final installation and commissioning of equipment is scheduled for March and April.

On the operational side all three rearing complexes of the breeder farm had been placed with parent stock in November, December and February.

Of these, the first placement will be transferred to the first of six laying farms in the week of March 16. NPI should have their first own fertile eggs available to its hatchery in April. The hatchery is also very close to being fully commissioned and the first eggs were placed for setting last Sunday.

The first day-old chicks are expected on March 19.

NPI is buying imported fertile eggs until its own laying farm is in full production and able to supply the demands of its hatchery. Progress has also been made with the construction of the broiler houses with the first farms ready to receive day-old broiler chicks on March 19.

The day-old chicks will be grown for up to 5 weeks to supply the abattoir with its first birds for slaughtering in the week starting April 16.