MASERU - A 100% BASOTHOowned business called Mon-Foods, which runs a poultry farm and an abattoir, with the capacity to produce 12 000 birds a week, was officially launched in Maseru on Friday. Speaking at the launch, the director of Mon-Foods Thabo Monyamane said they actually started operations six weeks ago, although they have not yet reached the farm’s full capacity.

He was, however, quick to pledge that enough chicken would definitely be available every week for their customers in due time. Mr. Monyamane said they started operating as soon as they were able to cross the border to South Africa to purchase the chicks.

“We are currently in the process of finalizing our hatchery and hopefully by December, we will be hatching our own chicks on the farm, to reduce the dependency on the South African manufacturers,” he said. For his part, the eco-farm manager Maselli Leche said there are 15 chicken sheds on the farm with the biggest about 15metres by 50 meters, housing a total of 2 250 chickens.

He said the plan is to produce 12 000 chickens every week. “We, however, have some serious challenges of meeting the high demand of chickens, our supply is less than the demand,” Mr. Leche also showed.

He added: “We currently have not yet reached the farm’s maximum capacity and we use the Makhulo Chicken Feed, which is produced locally to ensure that we make use of available resources in the country and to answer the  microeconomic variables like the unemployment rate.”

The company’s abattoir, he said has a slaughter rate of 27 300 birds per day. Mon-Foods is a Basotho-owned company that produces high quality and fresh as well as wholesome chicken on a large scale.

With its well-established chicken farm and abattoir, the company guarantees a consistent supply of fresh chicken to local businesses and the general public. It currently has a total of 60 Basotho men and women in its employ.