A Kikuyu based businessman is buying rabbits meat from farmers across Kenya..
Elias Kabiri is the founder of Kimka rabbits, the promoters and suppliers of rabbit meat, by products and breeds.
He adds value to rabbit meat to make rabbits delicious delicacies such as rabbit sausages, rabbit pies, rabbit kebabs, rabbit choma e.t.c. “However our main products are rabbit sausages” says Elias.
In addition to purchasing rabbits meat from farmers, Kimka Rabbits also trains farmers on the best rearing practices on commercial rabbit production for meat.
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“We train on good breeds for meat, sanitary cages, management, i.e. feeding, mating, kindling, weaning, and harvesting, slaughtering and packaging meat for delivery. Continuous and consistence supply of rabbit meat is our main goal.” Elias insists.
Kimka rabbits is moved by several incomes a farmer must strive to tap from rabbit, namely by selling meat, skin, manure, urine, ovals and fur.
Rabbit skins is precious leather that Kimka rabbits use to make beautiful products like, shoes, saddles, wallets, caps, bags among other leather products.
Rabbits require less land, they mature within four to five months, very nutritious , have high quality meat and high in protein when compared to other meat products and they are prolific” said Elias.
According to the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization, 84.8 per cent of rabbit production in the country is done by small scale farmers. The sector has been growing steadily over the last five years.
The main breeds kept are New Zealand white (29 per cent), crossbreeds (24 per cent), Californian white (12 per cent), Chinchilla (11.5 per cent), Dutch (eight per cent), Flemish giant (5.5 per cent) and French Lop (4 per cent).
He started by rearing 10 rabbits in 2006 but due to the lack of ready market for his rabbits he decided to add value to the rabbit meat so as earn income from it. A few of his friends who had promised to buy the rabbits disappointed him by failing to turn up after maturity of the rabbits; he thus incurred enormous losses in terms of cash and time.
‘Commercial rabbit rearing” Elias affirm “will secure, food security, create wide variety of jobs and hence wealth creation for our farmers and our people.
According to Elias rabbit meat is recommended for a variety of health specific specialty diets such as diabetes, gouts and hypertension amongst others. It is also low in cholesterol, low in calories, low in saturated fat, and highly digestible hence suitable for both the old and the young people.
Kimka rabbit’s sausages and skin products are available at Kimka rabbits outlet at Kikuyu sub county of Kiambu county or on 0733 28 88 99 / 0751 00 19 22.