By MILDRED KATONGO –
OWNERS  of Zamhatch   poultry in Mpongwe District on the Copperbelt have injected US$30million to kick-start the project.
Zambeef in partnership with Rainbow Chickens of South Africa are in the process of constructing a breeder and feed mill in the district which is expected to be completed in August this year.
Zamhatch general manager Alastair Mcleod said the poultry project would result in the creation of around 3, 000 jobs once fully operational.
Mr Mcleod said the target was to produce more than one million  broiler chicks a week for supply to the company’s broiler farms and the local market.
“So far K94, 900 has been spent on the construction of both the Zamhatch breeder operation as well as the feed mill at Chambatata Farm in Mpongwe of the budgeted K219, 000 for the phase one project,” he said.
During the tour of the facility, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda hailed the investment as it would add value to the economy.
Mr Lubinda said the project was a step in the right direction  in ensuring that Zambia did not  import poultry products.
“As Government we are extremely impressed with this kind of investment because we know that this will boost the poultry sector and help achieve the food basket,” he said.
He said investment to boost the poultry sector should be encouraged as it contributed to economic growth.
Mr Lubinda appealed to Zamhatch management not to sideline already existing small poultry farmers but  support  them so that the poultry sector could expand further.
He noted with sadness the tendency by commercial farmers not to support small-scale farmers in some parts of the country.
Mr Lubinda urged the company to work and complete the project in the shortest possible time to increase availability of chickens and eggs on the market.