With a processing capacity of 48,000 tons per year, Irvine’s, an integrated poultry company with roots in Zimbabwe, has opened a new P56 million (US$4.34 million) chicken feed mill there.
Irvine’s, a Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) accredited business, has been operating in the nation since 2001, and through its cutting-edge breeder farm and hatchery, it yearly produces and supplies 18 million day old chicks.
The company supports more than 5,000 local poultry producers and has over 180 workers, in addition to directly employing thousands more people in the broiler industry.
The new plant aims to guarantee a consistent supply of high-quality feed to the nation of Southern Africa’s large- and small-scale chicken producers in order to maintain food security.
“All our investments are done to the highest international standards to ensure good levels of bio-security and the latest international standards in manufacturing practices which enable us to provide all our customers with quality products.
“We believe if we can grow our customers’ businesses through supply of top-quality products and training, our business will also grow and this in turn will help grow the businesses that supply us with raw materials,” said Irvine’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Craig Irvine.
According to estimates, the small-scale agricultural industry in Botswana raises about 11 million chickens annually, bringing in over P678 million (US$52.5 million) in revenue.
Irvine emphasized that their investment will benefit the horticultural market as well as the local poultry industry.
“In the 2022 season, Irvine’s has already procured 9500 tons of maize from BAMB and Botswana Maize farmers,” highlighted the company.
Officially opening the mill, President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi said, “Irvine’s Botswana comes at an opportune time when the Government is coming up with key initiatives to close existing gaps in the agricultural sector, to achieve food self-sufficiency and become a net exporter of agricultural products.
“The sector in its entirety has enormous potential to catalyse economic growth post the Covid-19 pandemic.”
He also praised Irvine’s Botswana for teaching Batswana skills through its training center, which provides free weekly training seminars for all chicken farmers so they may operate profitable poultry enterprises.
Since the 1950s, Irvines has produced chicken throughout Southern Africa, expanding from a single room in a house to a weekly production of more than 1.5 million day-old chicks in Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
The poultry firm saw volume increase across all three of its major categories in the full year that ended in June 2022, according to its parent company Innscor Africa.
A 6% increase over the prior year marked a record production for table eggs in this category.
Demand for frozen poultry remained steady, and volumes rose 17% over the prior year.
The day-old chick market saw an improvement in demand as well, with volumes closing 25% higher than the prior year.
