June 30, 2011

Japanese poultry company Amatake to restart business after tsunami

A poultry company in Japan is preparing for its first shipments since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, rebuilding its business with those chickens it was able to keep alive amongst a feed shortage.

Amatake, known for its "Nanbu-Dori" chicken and egg brand, was hit hard by the March 11 tsunamis, which submerged the company's factory and office in Ofunato and washed away a factory in Rikuzentakata as well.

Nine employees are confirmed dead, and one is still unaccounted for.

Amatake was also cut off from its feed supplies when the feed factory it was contracted with was damaged in the disasters.

While using the remaining feed to keep alive around 60,000 adult chickens, the company had to give up on around one million other chickens and 700,000 hatching eggs.

On May 13, out of the eggs of the chickens that were spared, 6,000 chicks were born.

Now, there are around 15,000 to 20,000 chicks hatching a day.

500 chickens are planned for shipping on July 1, and a ceremony to celebrate the reopening of business is planned.

"I will probably cry (at the ceremony)," said the managing director, Atsushi Sasaki. "I hope we can give courage to the disaster area with our quick recovery."