The reconstruction of Dominica’s National Abattoir, located in Layou Park within the Layou Valley, is on track for completion by August 2025. Severely damaged during Hurricane Maria in 2017, the facility is now undergoing a major $5.7 million redevelopment to restore national meat processing capacity and contribute meaningfully to the country’s agricultural output.
The project is being carried out in phases at the site of the old abattoir. According to Operations Manager Michael Etienne, it will play a key role in rebuilding Dominica’s agricultural resilience and expanding its contribution to the local economy.
As was previously mentioned, the chicken abattoir is, going to have a capacity of a thousand birds per hour. That’s approximately 8,000 birds a day. And the pig abattoir, 50 pigs per day. 250 pigs per week. Experience has shown us that we do have a market for that capacity.
Michael Etienne, Operations Manager
Etienne said that despite the downtime, the Ministry of Agriculture has continued working with contracted farmers to support them in rebuilding their livestock operations. The aim is to ensure that when the facility resumes operations, farmers will be ready to supply it at capacity.
This is a project that we have been looking forward to for a long time. Everyone involved in the project, you know, has to get back to the wheel, and we are getting there
Michael Etienne, Operations Manager
The upcoming abattoir will differ significantly from its predecessor, featuring a more modern design, updated machinery, and an improved focus on training and staffing. “This is going to be very different from the last at all in terms of the construction, in terms of the the machinery in there, in terms of the facility, in terms of the human resource capability,” said Etienne.
He further connected the project to Dominica’s wider economic goals: “As we know, the Ministry of Agriculture is shooting for our $700,000,000 GDP by 2028 – 2030. And we see ourselves as being a major part of that.”
Upon completion, the abattoir is expected to enhance local food production, reduce meat imports, and reinforce Dominica’s position in regional agricultural markets.
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