Power Shortage Suspends Abattoir's Operations

Finished with an expansion project that consumed half a billion Birr, Organic Export Abattoir Plc has not begun operations at the new facility due to a lack of power supply.

Organic Export Abattoir, which exports organic sheep and goat meat, completed the construction and installation of the machinery of the slaughterhouse, which requires 32kV of electric power to start operations. The transmission lines from the nearest substation are already installed, but it has not had power for two years, according to Alem Mengistu, founder of Organic.

"We've submitted a letter to Ethiopian Electric Power to receive power and are waiting for their response," said Alem.

Resting on 100,000Sqm of land, the construction of the expansion plant began in 2015 and was expected to start operations after six months with 400 employees.

Cogemat Slaughtering Systems, an Italian company that was established in 1988, designed the plant and installed the slaughterhouse machinery.

The facility is equipped with Italian cattle processing machinery, a de-boning room [a system that removes the bones from meat], meat and by-product processing facilities, refrigerators, cold trucks, animal supply trucks, a wastewater treatment plant, biogas systems and an electric power generator.

The expansion is expected to increase the annual production capacity of Organic's business by 30,000tn and generate 75 million dollars from exports.

Located in Modjo, Oromia Regional State, the company was founded by Alem, who also founded Meridian Hotel, which is located in Bole District in the capital. Organic was established in 2006 with 20 million dollars and has been exporting sheep and goat meat for the past 14 years. It operates with 200 permanent and temporary employees at its existing abattoir.