THE sale of 13 Rainbow Chicken farms could bring a positive spin for the Hammarsdale community after workers were retrenched.
Earlier this year, the Sunday Tribune reported that South Africa’s biggest producer was selling 13 of its 25 farms in Hammarsdale to stay afloat after fighting years of dumping by importers, retrenching 1 350 staff.
Dave Rigby of KZN Farm Sales remained positive that the move would create more jobs.
He said there was a plan to establish a dry port in Cato Ridge and the Rainbow properties were ideally located to accommodate shipping companies.
Job cuts are keeping the chicken industry afloat.
“The selling of the farms will create jobs but new owners will have to inject cash to make it work,” he said.
Rigby said there were plans to rezone by transforming them into an industrial area.
He said those with interest in continuing with the business of chicken farming would have to rebuild the houses, acquire new technology and change the asbestos roofs because they were outlawed by government regulations.