Battlefront Investments has started constructing a $150 000 specialised state-of-the-art donkey abattoir in Waterford suburb, Bulawayo that will have a capacity to dress more than 70 animals per day.
Battlefront Investments managing director, Mr Gareth Lumsden said they will be done constructing the abattoir in 2-3 weeks. He said they got approval from Ministers to start construction and will invite a senior Government official to officially open the abattoir. He said that they will be targeting the Asian market. Said Lumsden:
We are targeting China in particular, it is a delicacy there. They eat the meat but the important part is the skin . . . there are 1,8 billion Chinese people and I don’t see anything wrong with them, they eat almost anything.
When contacted for comment by Sunday News, Industry Minister Mike Bimha said he was not aware about the abattoir and its plans to export donkey meat. Agriculture Deputy Minister Paddy Zhanda who is responsible for livestock production acknowledged that he had heard of the development but will get to know more once construction is complete.
More: Sunday News