Camel meat business thrives in Maua town

Mau

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

KNA by Kamanja Maeria/Isaiah Mutharimi 

Due to their medicinal and nutritive value, camel products has seen a booming demand among the locals of Igembe region.

In a remarkable entrepreneurial endeavour, a thriving camel meat business which was believed to only flourish in arid places like Isiolo has extended its reach to Maua town in Igembe South sub-county.

With camel fetching a hefty price which varies according to size for slaughtering, the venture has found its niche in the lucrative market of camel meat sales, where each kilogram of the premium meat commands a staggering price of Sh540 per kilogram in Maua.

According to one Sebastian Gitonga, a camel businessperson in the town, the venture's financial success is underpinned by a keen understanding of the market and the quality of its offerings. With each camel yielding approximately 600 kilogram of meat depending on its size, the profit margins prove substantial and enticing.

He adds that customers from near and as far as from Mutuati, Igembe North flock to his butchery and hotel drawn by the tantalizing prospect of savouring tender, succulent camel meat, renowned for its distinctive flavour and culinary appeal.

Gitonga who has five employees maintains that the business has not only fueled economic growth in the region, but it has also provided employment opportunities to the local communities.

“The business is doing well since people have realized the health benefits of camel meat, soap as well as milk,” he noted.

Gitonga explained that he purchases camels from Garbatula and Isiolo and walks for about 11 hours with the camel from the market to Maua town.

“The journey from Isiolo to Maua is no small feat, with a challenging and arduous trek since we have no other mode of transport,” he stated. 

Gitonga says that the prices of camels vary depending on the size with some that weigh up to 600 kilogrammes going for Sh70, 000 and others that are small in size and going for Sh30,000. He says that farmers only sell female camels that have stopped calving.

“Since camels only survive better in a hot climate, we can only keep them for around two weeks before slaughtering,” Gitonga explains.

He says that the precious animal carries a pregnancy for nine months and can have young ones up to six calvings.

Gitonga revealed that in a good day, he can slaughter up to two camels and clear the stock before day ends due to its high demand.

He states that due to the close interaction in miraa business with the Cushite living in Maua town who expressed a high demand for the camel meat and soup, he thought of materializing the idea which has brought him success alongside his miraa business.

He added that a cup of camel soup goes at only Sh10 and majority of his clients likes bone soup, which is believed to protect joints, decrease inflammation and helps one to lose weight.

Camel meat is low in cholesterol, contains minerals like magnesium, iron, and potassium and has higher concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin C than other red meat.

Courtesy ; K. N. A