Cattle farmers in Samoa may soon have a modern abattoir that the government hopes will help improve their chances of exporting beef to American Samoa.
Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Samoa's minister of agriculture, La'aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polata'ivao Schmidt, confirmed in Parliament that negotiations with the World Bank to fund the project should be finalised in the near future.
The minister said construction of the abattoir at Nu'u should start before the end of the year, with $US1.2 million from the World Bank allocated for the project.
The government said the new abattoir would improve meat hygiene for domestic consumption and ultimately satisfy international regulations.
The minister said the facility would take over the processing of all meat before it can be sold commercially and any products not processed through the abattoir will be banned from the commercial market.
La'aulialemalietoa hopes the export industry can be revived as Samoa's markets are currently restricted to the region, with the Cook Islands and Tonga the two main outlets.