eBusiness Weekly
Business Writer
Raymeg Holdings, a diversified pan-African company with interests across many sectors, executive director Paidamoyo Nyamakanga has said the Zimbabwean company is looking to take advantage of a huge potential export market that exists in China.
Raymeg owns Zimbabwe’s only rabbit abattoir and one of the biggest in Africa and is home to the largest rabbitry in the country.
“China is the biggest consumer of rabbit meat in the world. It consumes about a million tonnes of rabbit meat annually. China itself only produces 600 000 tonnes of rabbit meat annually leaving a deficit of 400 000 tonnes of rabbit,” Nyamakanga said.
He said Raymeg was “looking to tap into that huge market”
Nyamakanga revealed plans to tap the Chinese market after a delegation from the Chinese Embassy visited the Raymeg Rabbit Breeding Centre, Raymeg Abattoir, Raymeg Rabbit Grill and Chillspot and Raymeg Supermarket and Rabbit Distribution Centre in Waterfalls, Harare.
The Economic and Commercial Counsellor, Huang Minghai pledged Chinese support to the abattoir.
He stated that he will introduce Chinese companies operating in Zimbabwe to the Rabbit Abattoir with a view to over 1000 Chinese workers in Zimbabwe buying rabbit meat from the Raymeg abattoir.
His Excellency Huang said he will also assist Raymeg Abattoir to export rabbit meat to China, which he described as “the biggest market for rabbit meat” in the whole world.
China consumes 1 million tonnes of rabbit meat per year. It produces 600 000 tonnes, leaving a deficit of 400 000 tonnes.
The diversified group has interests in strategic communications, agriculture, retail, real estate and holiday resorts. It has operations in South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe and the Horn of Africa region.
Meanwhile, Raymeg Consultants Private Limited Group, with strategic interests in many sectors including communications, agriculture and retail sectors, last week opened its first rabbit grill at Cheviot Shops, Waterfalls, Harare.
The company said this was the beginning of a journey that will see the group, already the pioneer of the fast-growing rabbit meat consumption in Zimbabwe, opening rabbit grills across the country. The fledgling sector is now a multi-million dollar industry.
The company said this was the beginning of a journey that will see the group, already the pioneer of the fast-growing rabbit meat consumption in Zimbabwe, opening rabbit grills across the country.
The fledgling sector is now a multi-million dollar industry.
“Opening Rabbit Grills is part of our quest to grow the rabbit meat market in Zimbabwe and to make rabbit the most preferred dish in the country,” Raymeg executive director Paidamoyo Nyamakanga said.
Raymeg owns Zimbabwe’s only rabbit abattoir, located in Harare’s Waterfalls suburb, which is one of the biggest in Africa and is home to the largest rabbitry in the country.
A corporate member of the Zimbabwe Commercial Rabbit Breeders Association (Zicorba), Raymeg had announced in August 2021 the plans to open a multi-million-dollar retail outlet in Harare, to serve as the hub for the supply of rabbit meat in the country.
This came after the firm had launched a stockfeed division, which distributes rabbit pellets and other feeds manufactured by Agrifoods, National Foods and Capital Foods.
In 2022, Raymeng completed the construction of Zimbabwe’s first export-certified rabbit abattoir, thrusting rabbit meat firmly on to the country’s white meat sub-sector, which was until recently a preserve of pork, chicken and fish.
The abattoir, which is one of the biggest rabbit meat processing facilities in Africa, has an installed capacity of between 2,5 tonnes and 3,5 tonnes of rabbit meat per single day shift.
Trade statistics show that global rabbit consumption stood at 1,5 million tonnes in 2017, picking up by 2,9 percent against the previous year. The total consumption volume increased an average annual rate of + 2,8 percent from 2007 to 2017.
Trade statistics show that global rabbit consumption stood at 1,5 million tonnes in 2017, picking up by 2,9 percent against the previous year.
The total consumption volume increased an average annual rate of + 2,8 percent from 2007 to 2017.
China accounts for the lion’s share of the global rabbit meat consumption at 925 000 tonnes or 62 percent, followed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at 154 000 tonnes and Egypt at 57 000 tonnes.
Leading local supermarket chains and private butcheries have since agreed to sell rabbit and that currently a number of outlets in Harare, Marondera, Chitungwiza, Bindura and Mutare were selling the product, which is the healthiest white meat.
