Zimbabwe beef giant trebles slaughter rate
The Cold Storage Company (CSC) in Bulawayo has increased daily cattle slaughter from 50 to 150 head after a US$9.3 million rescue.
Zimbabwe's state-run Cold Storage Company (CSC) has trebled its daily cattle slaughter rate to 150 head from 50, showing signs of recovery after receiving a US$9.3 million cash injection from the Mutapa Investment Fund.
The Bulawayo-based processor's refrigeration facilities can now hold 320 carcasses, and the funding has helped settle outstanding debts and repair its abattoir, according to Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuka.
The CSC, established in 1937, once handled 150,000 tonnes of beef annually and exported to the EU, but its decline accelerated after 2001 when the EU suspended imports due to Foot and Mouth Disease.
Why it mattersZimbabwean farmers and the agricultural sector are affected by the revival of a major beef processor that was once a significant exporter.