The proprietors of Fine Ranchers Limited have said the newly established meat processing facility will help create over 300 jobs for mainly youth and women in Kampala.
On Tuesday, selected journalists were taken to a guided tour of the shs15.5 billion facility located in Bwaise a Kampala suburb.
“Ranchers Finest has invested over $4 million in this world class processing facility. With our kiosk franchisee and distribution expansion project we expect to create new employment opportunities for over 3000 youth and women in the value chain. These include distribution teams, road side and street grillers,” said Collin Muyanja, the CEO of Ranchers Finest.
He touted the facility that has a capacity to produce 20 tons per day as one that can help drive Uganda’s beef exports which he said are still low.
“In the DRC, they shouldn’t be importing products from as far as Australia, which they do at the moment and the reason for that is that as a region, we are not meeting the capacity required. However, Uganda’s beef is on high demand all over the world. We can be able to satisfy this market if we put in place the right strategies,” Muyanja said.
He explained that during such a time when foot and mouth disease is ravaging the country, facilities like Ranchers Finest can help provide safe and quality meat both locally and for the export market.
“Muyanja explained that with the current onset of the foot and mouth diseases, such facilities like Ranchers Finest now come in to provide quality meat to Ugandans and abroad.
“It’s important to understand that FMD does not affect the safety of meat products that have undergone proper, traceability, processing, and inspection, as is always the case at Ranchers Finest. From rigorous sanitation protocols to state-of-the-art equipment, every step of our production process is carefully monitored and controlled.”
He however asked government to help grow the value chain by supporting farmers to get involved in ranching by increasing the number of feedlots.
Feedlots are facilities which use intensive animal farming including animal fattening to prepare animals for slaughter.