Alexandre Rocha
São Paulo – With its eye on export, Cooperativa Agrícola Mista Rondon (Copagril), located in the municipality of Marechal Cândido Rondon, in the southeast of the state of Paraná, is going to start producing chicken at the end of the year. One of the main markets the company has its eye on is the Middle Eastern, the largest consumer of Brazilian poultry.
For this purpose, the slaughter house being built by the group will be prepared for halal slaughter, according to Islamic rules, informed complex supervisor Adolir Weber to ANBA yesterday (26).
Weber stated that the slaughter capacity of the new installations will be 170,000 chickens per day, with 45% of production targeting the foreign market. Apart from the Middle East, Copagril also wants to sell to Europe and Japan.
Animal food and producers
Copagril currently has 3,600 associates and produces milk, pork, grain, and animal food. "We start off with two advantages: we already have the raw material and the producers," said Weber, referring to the fact that the soy and maize distributed by the cooperative will be used as food for the birds. Apart from that, the 450 producers to breed chickens are already associated to the cooperative.
"They already produce other products, and are going to breed chickens too, or their children will. It is another option for revenue generation," stated Weber. The construction of aviaries will be the responsibility of producers, whereas the cooperative will supply the chicks, the food, and transport logistics.
Investment
Total investment in the construction of the slaughterhouse, which will cover an area of 20,000 square meters, will be US$ 10.5 million, according to Weber. Of this value, US$ 7 million is being financed by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). In all, including aviaries, the investment will be US$ 17.6 million.
Copagril hopes to make around US$ 42.2 million per year with the new business, and generate 1,000 direct and 1,500 indirect jobs. The BNDES, however, forecasts the creation of 600 direct jobs, with initial production of 35,000 tons of chicken meat per year.
"The decision to build a slaughter house came from a study showing good return from chicken production in the last 20 years. The activity will also help keep people in the countryside," finished off Weber.
