The Cato Ridge Poultry Farm is boosting jobs and agricultural growth.

The eThekwini Municipality acquired the farm in December 2018, and since 2020, has made impressive strides in economic development, turning challenges into opportunities for job creation, business growth, and agricultural innovation.

Originally purchased from Rainbow Chicken when the former owners had to retrench workers due to their operational restructuring, the farm is now a model of transformation and growth, said eThekwini Municipality spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana.

“The farm began operations with a single business in 2020. Fast forward to today, and Cato Ridge is home to seven thriving businesses, producing over 120 000 birds per cycle — an increase from just 45 000 birds in its early days. It has a target of manufacturing 250 000 birds per cycle. This expansion is 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,” said Ms Sisilana.

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. This upgrade, which began 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. These improvements are underway and are set to be completed by June next year, said the city’s Economic Development and Planning Committee chairperson, Thembo Ntuli. He added that they are not just building infrastructure; but also building opportunities. Mr Ntuli underscored the importance of this 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,” said Mr Ntuli.

The farm’s collaborative approach with Camperdown Poultry (Pty) Ltd has also proven successful in providing abattoir services, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable business ecosystem. Ms Nonhle Mdunge, chairperson of Isukile Co-operatives, is one of the farm’s first tenants and she said she is grateful for the opportunity to farm in Cato Ridge.

“When we were displaced by lay-offs by our previous employer, the City welcomed us. Now our business is growing stronger every day and we supply markets across the region,” she said.

Similar sentiments were shared by Nathi Tembe of Ngwanase Chicks who previously operated his business from home.

“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,” he said.

In addition to boosting poultry production, the farm’s waste management system is another innovative feature, said Mr Ntuli. The compost generated is donated to local farmers to support vegetable production, reinforcing the city’s commitment to sustainable farming practices, he added.

“This success story is part of a broader municipal effort to foster agri-business growth with other initiatives like the Cottonlands Agri-Park Incubator and the Ottawa Agri-Park Incubator, both who are continuing to make strides,” said Mr Ntuli. “Combined, these incubators, which includes the Cato Ridge Agri-Park Incubator, have created over 2 000 direct and indirect jobs.”

Renovations are under way at the Cato Ridge Poultry Farm, which has been operational since 2020. The upgrades aim to improve operations, expand capacity, and support more poultry farmers, in line with government goals to boost agricultural infrastructure and create jobs. Since its acquisition by eThekwini Municipality, the farm has grown from one to seven operating businesses.

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