January 3, 2005

Sanderson Farms expand poultry processing operations

US integrated broiler company Sanderson Farms will be investing a total of US$24 million to expand its broiler-processing operations in Mississippi, of which US$8 million will go to expanding plant operations, US$13.5 million into building a new feed mill and US$2.5 million for a hatchery.

In addition, the company will also build 170 broiler grow-out houses.

After completion, the plant will process more than 1.05 million broilers a week--an increase of 150,000 birds.

Sanderson will also install a rail spur to the feed mill, revealed Bob Billingsley, Sanderson's director of development and engineering, adding that as it is, the company requires 100 rail cars of corn each week to produce 8,200 tonnes of feed.

In 2004, Sanderson reported a gross revenue of US$1.05 billion, making it the 20th largest meat processor in the US, according to Meat Processing magazine.