Since its acquisition by the eThekwini Municipality in December 2018, the Cato Ridge Poultry Farm has made impressive strides - turning challenges into opportunities for job creation, business growth, and agricultural innovation.
The farm, which was initially bought from Rainbow Chicken when the former owners had to retrench workers due to their operational restructuring, is now a model of transformation and growth.
The farm began operations with a single business in 2020. Fast forward 2024, Cato Ridge is now home to seven thriving businesses, producing over 120 000 birds per cycle - an increase from just 45 000 birds during its early days.
The farm has a target of producing 250 000 birds per cycle, a testament to the success of the municipality's investment in the farm, which has seen over R6 million invested in infrastructure to ensure its ongoing functionality.
The City’s Economic Development and Planning Committee Chairperson, Thembo Ntuli, said in the current 2024/25 financial year, an additional R10 million has been allocated to further upgrade the farm, with a focus on enhancing operations and expanding capacity.
The upgrade, which started in July this year, includes the installation of power backup systems, additional heaters, air cooling systems, and the introduction of a low-throughput abattoir capable of slaughtering 500 birds per day.
Ntuli said the improvements are underway and are set to be completed by June next year.
"We're not just building infrastructure; we're building opportunities," Ntuli said, while also underscoring the importance of the project to the municipality's long-term Agri-Business Masterplan, which aims to create thousands of jobs by 2030.
"The number of jobs created by operating businesses is around 20 permanent and 60 temporary jobs, which indicates that we're on the right track. This is aligned with our goals of economic growth and job creation,” Ntuli said.
The farm's collaborative approach with Camperdown Poultry (Pty) Ltd has also proven to be successful in providing abattoir services, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable business ecosystem.
Chairperson of Isukile Co-operatives, Nonhle Mdunge, who is one of the farm's first tenants, expressed her gratitude for the municipality’s support.
"When we were displaced by layoffs by our previous employer, the city welcomed us. Now our business is growing stronger every day and we supply markets across the region," Mdunge said.
Nathi Tembe of Ngwanase Chicks, who previously operated from home, shared the sentiment.
"We started with just 5 000 chickens per cycle, and now we produce 28 000 chickens per cycle. The farm's proximity to local markets has been a game-changer,” Tembe said.
In addition to boosting poultry production, the farm's waste management system is another innovative feature.
The compost generated is donated to local farmers to support vegetable production, reinforcing the municipality’s commitment to sustainable farming practices.
“This success story is part of a broader municipal effort to foster agri-business growth with other initiatives, including the Cottonlands Agri-Park Incubator and the Ottawa Agri-Park Incubator, both who are continuing to make strides. Combined, these incubators, which includes the Cato Ridge Agri-Park Incubator, have created over 2 000 direct and indirect jobs,” the municipality said. – SAnews.gov.za
