Call for partnerships to revive Free State poultry projects

The MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Free State, Dr Benny Malakoane, has invited role players in the poultry industry to enter into a partnership with the province’s department of agriculture to help turn around numerous failed projects launched across the province in recent years. Malakoane and some of his top officials have been hosting a series of meetings with farming organisations such as Free State Agriculture, Agri SA and the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa, as well as numerous commodity organisations and agribusinesses in recent months.

The recent meeting with members of the poultry industry at Glen College in Bloemfontein included a delegation from the South African Poultry Association, as well as senior broiler and egg industry representatives such as Bloemfontein-based egg producer Marco Torsius.

Malakoane said in a statement that there were a high number of failed poultry projects in the province, with only a few managing to survive. “The province has envisaged becoming the poultry hub of South Africa. However, the [current] bleak picture has called for strengthening of the sector through partnerships,” he said.

The department could not provide exact figures, but spokesperson Zimasa Leputla confirmed that 80% of projects initiated in this regard had failed and millions of rand had been lost. “The majority of projects are in Lejweleputswa, which was earmarked [to become] the poultry hub,” she said.

According to Leputla, the first project in which they hoped to co-operate with industry role players was in Odendaalsrus, as it was still operating, but it was hoped that it could be run more effectively.

Torsius said discussions had centred on formalising agreements to help revitalise projects and to provide the relevant training and mentorship.

He expressed his satisfaction about the requests that had been received for industry stakeholders to get involved in training and research at Glen College. It was hoped that students at the institution would get involved in conducting poultry trials to provide useful information to the industry at large, Torsius said.