New government measures on abattoirs will destroy beef industry

By Tichaona Sibanda
12 July 2007

Ninety percent of the country’s butchers have closed down in the last two days after government cancelled licenses of all private abattoirs and instructed the butchers to deal directly with the Cold Storage Commission.

Government says the new policy is to ensure all farmers selling beef products would do so at the controlled price to consumers. But former chief executive of the CSC, Eddie Cross, said the move signals the beginning of the end of the beef industry in the country. Before Tuesday there were over 400 private abattoirs operating in the country while CSC had only three, functioning at 30 percent capacity, in Bulawayo, Marondera and Masvingo. Those in Chinhoyi and Kadoma were shut down over 15 years ago.

‘How do you expect three abattoirs, operating well below capacity, to replace the work of 400 private abattoirs? asked Cross. ‘They will need electricity, transport and a lot of staff for this mammoth task,’ Cross said.

In the mid 1980’s the CSC was the largest meat processor in Africa. It had a network of 5 internationally registered abattoirs capable of slaughtering up to 650 000 head of cattle a year. In one year during a drought, the company actually handled over 700 000 head.

‘The CSC no longer have that sort of industry, but private abattoirs still kill between 350 000 and 400 000 head a year. The CSC however is hardly a player. Two of the abattoirs have not killed an animal for 15 years, the others are on a care and maintenance basis with a tiny throughput,’ Cross added.

When Cross was head of the CSC they handled up to 140 000 tonnes of beef a year, exported to many countries including the EU and employed 5000 people with dozens of excellent engineers, accountants and managers, most with more than 20 years experience.

‘That is all long gone, they do not have the physical, financial or management capability to undertake this exercise thrust on them at a days notice,’ he said.