Abattoir to become world-class food centre by end of legislature

Roderick Galdes explains investment in public abattoir

Following a 2013 audit which resulted in the European Commission  threatening to close Malta’s abattoir, the facility has seen €3.1m invested in it, with a further €1.7m earmarked to be spent next year.

Parliamentary secretary for agriculture Roderick Galdes said that following the April 2013 audit, the European Commission had opened infringement proceedings against Malta and had listed a number of infrastructural deficiencies as well as a series of bad practices that needed to be addressed.

“The 2013 audit found several irregularities which we set out to correct from day one. Then in 2014 there was a second audit where the progress made was noted. In 2016 the commission decided to close the case because all the issues had been addressed,” said Galdes.

He explained that the Marsa abattoir, which was built in 1896 and has been used as an abattoir since, is a scheduled building as well as Malta’s only abattoir.

“Because of these limitations, work can’t take place as quickly as we would like. A lot of work has to be done in the evening because we can’t stop the lines during the day,” said Manuel Schembri, The abattoir’s chief officer.

Among the changes made over the past three years are new administration offices – equipped with surveillance of the whole facility – out of which the entire operation is monitored to ensure that the necessary standards are being complied with, said Schembri.

He said that the slaughter lines have now been fitted with the necessary temperature controls and air filters so as to minimise the risk of contamination.

In addition to this the facility has seen resurfacing works carried out in a number of areas, old asbestos roofs replaced, new changing rooms to ensure sterile working conditions, a complete overhaul of the facility’s drainage system as well as systems designed to sterilise trucks used to transport animals by farmers, before entering and exiting the facility. Significant investment has also been made in training employees on the various aspects of meat handling and other good work practices, something which Schembri said was lacking in the past.

In addition to this, Robert Balbo from the Malta Veterinary Services said that the facility could now make use of newly accredited labs for the abattoir’s required testing.

“Technically, the commission’s recommendations were for us not the abattoir, but in order for us to address them we needed investment on the part of the abattoir,” said Balbo.

Schembri explained that the abattoir was now even offering a service where farmers who have an injured animal can have two butchers and a vet sent over who can check the animal and slaughter it on the farm if this is necessary.

“The commission was impressed by this new initiative, so much so that they referred to it as a European best practice and have featured it in one of their reports,” said Schembri.

Galdes explained that once the facility has been completely refurbished, it will be looking into the possibility of expanding its operation by bringing in animals from abroad, since the facility is not working at its full operational potential.

The abattoir currently processes roughly 1,000 pigs, 80 cows and some 120 sheep a week.

Schembri also said that waste products such as blood are now being separated immediately after they are generated on the slaughter line, and that partnerships with the private sector would be sought in order to make use of this waste for the production of blood sausages and similar products.  

“At the end of the refurbishment process, we will have a world-class facility that ensures a good service to farmers, a good working environment for employees and a better quality product being given to the cosumers,” said Galdes.