–to locate state-of-the-art abattoir
THE state-of-the-art abattoir to be constructed in Region Five 5 (Mahaica-Berbice) will be located aback Number 28 Village, West Coast Berbice.
The facility will be set up about a kilometer from the public highway and next to the main road of the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Development Authority (MMA-ADA) at Onverwagt.
This was confirmed by a senior official from the Agriculture Support Development Unit (ASDU) over the weekend.
An international standard abattoir will be a major change for the local community of West Coast Berbice, the official said, adding that a contract will be shortly signed.
Officials have already said that Region Five is deemed the most suitable location for an abattoir of such international standards, since it is one of the two largest cattle producing regions, the other one being Region Six (EastBerbice-Corentyne).
“This is where the animals are, and hence the location in the backlands next to the MMA-ADA road, about one kilometer away from the public road, is very strategic,” the official said.
The establishment of the abattoir is in keeping with the Ministry of Agriculture’s drive, through the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), to ensure a higher quality of meat for consumers.
GLDA Head, Nigel Cumberbatch had recently stated that despite Guyana being self-sufficient in meat production, there is still some amount of importation occurring, because of the quality required by the fast-food industry and other internationally aligned sectors.
“With the quality of the meat and the cuts of the meat that are imported at this present time, we here in Guyana cannot meet that requirement,” Cumberbatch said. “There are opportunities, we feel, for the local farming communities to look at what is imported, and try to provide part of that importation. That is what we are hoping that we can do during 2018 and beyond.”
“We can also say to the persons who are bringing in meat, that we are slaughtering under proper hygienic conditions, and if the quality is good, we see no reason why you cannot purchase animals, feeling satisfied with the wholesomeness of the meat that will be coming out of the abattoir.”
