Assessment of Cooperatives in the Poultry Industry - 2013.pdf - Seda

Research Report: Addressing the Needs, Opportunities and Challenges of Cooperatives
and Collectively Owned Enterprises in the Poultry and Related Industries
provision of assistance in these skills may be part of the reason why few respondents noted these as
challenges.
As mentioned above, the greatest challenge highlighted by cooperatives during the start-up phase
was the lack of equipment, with 57% of all respondents mentioning this as a concern. The Figure
below illustrates the specific types of equipment that cooperatives stated they still require. The
category that received the most responses was feed/drink equipment for broilers, representing 27%
of all responses and being listed as a challenge by 50% of cooperatives. Many cooperatives surveyed
mentioned a need for more broiler houses or improved broiler house facilities, including heating,
which came across prominently on its own. Lack of temperature control may lead to high mortality
rates and difficulty in consistent growing due, to fluctuating conditions in the houses.
A number of cooperatives indicated that they would prefer to diversify their businesses through the
building of abattoir facilities. Although equipment is required for this, there are also specific health
and environmental regulations and this is not as simple as attaining the abattoir equipment. Three
respondents mentioned the need for transport vehicles; one of these was aligned with the desire to
run and abattoir and thus cooling vans were mentioned as a specific equipment need.
Figure 4-6: Additional Equipment Needs (% of total responses)
Source: Urban-Econ Survey, 2013
In the “other” category in Figure 4-6 cooperatives mentioned the need for larger premises (although
this is not equipment), irrigation equipment and fencing to improve security. Many of the
equipment needs mentioned by cooperatives are essential for successful production. Additional
broiler houses are a needed to increase broiler production; however, items such as heating
equipment are basic requirements for successful operation.
In starting a business there are a number of documents which are best practice to have in place to
ensure successful establishment and management of an enterprise. These documents set out
objectives and strategy within the business, as well as outlining tools to measure progress regarding
profits, infrastructure, and people. In order to evaluate the readiness of cooperatives to form and
manage their businesses, cooperatives were asked which business documents they had in place at
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