By: Nyima Sillah
Dawda Mboob, head of EMPAS Operation has disclosed that over one million imported chickens were consumed between 2012 and 2013 in the country.
In an interview with The Voice, Mr Mboop affirmed that poultry industry is a good venture that the country can definitely utilize all resources to take the industry to the next generations and will help employ a lot of youths that everyone can benefit from.”
He said many companies in Senegal do not have the capacities The Gambia has. “Gambian youth are embarking on illegal migration whereas there are projects that could be utilized to engage youth instead of going back way,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said there is no one that knows how long these imported chickens stayed in the store and even how they were processed.
Notwithstanding, “we want to give Gambians fresh chickens less than one week old, and we are working towards processing fresh chicken in the country but it requires some extra jobs like the infrastructure to make sure that the chickens does not decompose,” he said.
According to him, in the hatchery alone they loaded about 25 thousand eggs and the capacity of the machines is thirty-eight thousand four hundred (38,400) and the few machines they have can combine one hundred and fifteen thousand two hundred (115, 200) within 21days, these can help Gambian farmers.
“The industry is a good venture for youths to get employment and also for the importation of chicken to be minimized in the country”, he said.
Ebrima Jobe Taal urged government to come on board and show support to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
Hassan Secka, staff of EMPAS said the industry needs government a lot especially during such trying time because buying products in Senegal will not last taking into account of what is happening in Senegal.
