Farmers Choice company has announced plans to build a state of the art slaughterhouse in Kahawa West in Nairobi, the Standard reported.

The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Nortura, the largest meat processor in Norway for construction of the export licensed beef abattoir with a capacity of slaughtering 600 animals every week.

This will increase competition for the struggling State-owned Kenya Meat Commission. Farmers Choice Managing Director, James Taylor said the slaughterhouse that would be operational in 12 months and employ 120 people.

Taylor said that the facility would be Halal compliant (processing food that is permissible according to Islamic law) and would enable Farmers Choice not only to serve the domestic market but also venture into the beef export markets in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Norway.

LONDON, Dec.9, 2008 (News Agencies)