Bungoma County to start chicken export to foreign country

A multi- million poultry slaughterhouse was commissioned last week by Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka at Chwele area in Kabuchai constituency.

Speaking during the opening ceremony conducted at the slaughter house, governor Lusaka said the facility is meant to curb the unemployment majorly among the youths whose number is sky rocketing day in day out.

He said the business sector that could have been a toddler for many years is going to turn out to be a huge asset for the growth of the county economy.

“As a governor I am calling upon residents to raise more chickens for business to help alleviate the living standards considering that  more than three thousand chickens will be slaughtered here per day,’’ governor Lusaka uttered.

Governor Lusaka said that local production of chicken has fallen short of the demand for the product for a period of long time due to lack of proper mechanism, thereby creating an avenue for poor rearing.

According to him though the slaughterhouse is supposed to boost production be a source of income generating project to the residents.

He urged local producers to commit to increasing output and supplying fresh chicken to limit the import of chicken in the county.

“I want to assure my people that this project is of international standards and even the equipments and procedures to prevent any contamination that might occur,” Lusaka added.

Governor Lusaka said the project which was started when he was still the permanent secretary in the ministry of livestock, had been completed with the support from the national government.

Governor Lusaka believes that the country will start exportation of chicken to foreign markets to generate more revenue if the residents will fully engage in local chicken rearing.

Same sentiment was echoed by Bungoma county commissioner Joshua Chepcheng’i who said the project will instill hard work to many residents and help in reducing criminal’s incidences.

Present was the chairman for agriculture and livestock, poultry and fisheries Mosses Opicho who called on the county government to intervene and lower the prices of vaccination and feeds to help farmers keep the urge of rearing chickens.

“The high price of feed raw materials is an issue everywhere.  Since the high feed costs are felt throughout the industry, operators have found the business less competitive. Feed is the single biggest input cost, making up 60 to 70 per cent of total input costs. Inputs and costs have presented the poultry industry with huge challenges.” he said.

He said the viability of poultry is reduced by its high production costs and increased chicken imports killing the morale of many farmers in the region, added that there should be  a development plan for the poultry sector to boost production of chickens and eggs to feed the growing demand.

Kabuchai chwele ward member of county assembly Barasa Mukhongo called on the governor to give first priorities to the locals when a warding jobs to encourage easy land release for beneficiary projects across the county