By Boniface Mulu
The Kitui County Poultry Traders Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited has constructed a chicken abattoir at a cost of Sh4.2 million. The abattoir is at the Wikililye market in Katulani region of Kitui County.
The amount is part of the Sh9.8 million funding by the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) channeled to the Sacco.
According to Mr. Mutie Ngolo, the chairperson of the society, NARIGP is one of the state corporations under the Kenya’s Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development Ministry.
Ngolo announced that the Sacco has procured processing machines for the factory at a cost of Sh2.6 million from the funding noting that the factory has the capacity of slaughtering 1,000 chickens per day. He said this during the Sacco’s poultry farmers’ meeting held at the Africa Brotherhood Church (ABC) in Kitui Town where Francis Mutuku, an official from Kitui County Trade, Industry and Cooperative Development Ministry was the chief guest.
Ngolo said that in 2019 the Sacco also received a Sh1.4 million grant from NARIGP that enabled them to recruit a total of 5,845 poultry farmers within Kitui County.
He further added that the 70 member Sacco started in August 2018 with 40 members from Kitui County.
“The Sacco has conducted a market survey in and outside Kitui County. You will enjoy the factory’s benefits because you will get annual profit for your supplies.” he said while asking farmers to take the poultry farming seriously to ensure they ‘satisfy the market.’
In his speech, Mutuku said that the only way through which the farmer can benefit is by joining the Kitui County Poultry Traders Sacco. The officer said that the Sacco has laid down good plans in place for the poultry farmers.
Bernard Ng’etich, an official from the Cooperative Bank of Kenya Kitui Branch, who also addressed the event, told the poultry farmers that they have arranged with the Sacco to have a model where the farmer can be paid by the bank through the Safaricom’s MPESA service after delivery of chicken to the Sacco.
The farmers led by Tabitha Singa and Joshua Kaloki, said they will support the abattoir by supplying it with chicken in plenty.
