Local Manufacturer of Incubators Extends Wings to Neighbouring Countries

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

29 June 2011

DAR ES SALAAM-based Investment Growth Promotion (IGP), which specialised in manufacturing of incubators, hatchery and training on poultry farming, has extended wings to neighbouring countries.

“As we strive to expand countrywide, we are also thinking of exploring the markets beyond our borders,” the firm’s Executive Chairman, Mr John Urio, told the ‘Daily News’ at the ongoing 35th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) yesterday.

The firm whose headquarters are in Dar es Salaam manufactures incubators of various sizes, with hatching capacity ranging from 360 to 8,000 eggs. It also trains poultry farmers on the best poultry farming practices as well as hatchery services to members of the public.

So far the company has branches in Mwanza, Mbeya, Arusha, Morogoro and Kilimanjaro regions.

“We do not only manufacture incubators but also offer training and hatchery services to our clients who cannot afford buying the machines,” Mr Urio said, noting that the prices of incubators range between 2m/- and 25m/-.

The chairman also decried the market, saying costly raw materials and erratic power supply in the country are frustrating the business.

“Running these machines (incubators) requires a lot of energy that can not be supplied through generators,” he charged, describing the incubator as an intensive care unit that can hardly tolerate interruption of power supply.

He blamed the government for not supporting local entrepreneurs in penetrating the regional and global markets, saying that small and medium enterprises were financially not stable to foot the costs of market.

“Participating in these exhibitions is expensive…imagine to meet the cost of hauling these incubators to and from the fairs,” Mr Urio said, noting that he would wish to participate in all business shows but financial constraints was among the snags.

He asked President Jakaya Kikwete to incorporate small business people in his trips outside the country to help them penetrate markets, “But, it is unfortunate that most of the presidential entourage to foreign trips comprises of politicians.”

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