Executive vice-chairman Chong Shaw Fui said the expanded abattoir would gradually increase the group’s production to some 40,000 birds per day from current 30,000 birds starting next year.

Installation of new machinery and equipment is expected to be carried out next month.

The halal-certified abattoir also has the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points certification from the authorities.

"The dressed chicken are supplied to CCK retail outlets, corporate clients including KFC and McDonald’s and processing plants to be processed into chicken parts, sausages and other products," Mr Chong said.

He was speaking to StarBiz after a briefing for a 33-member delegation from Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry on a field visit to CCK group’s hatchery farm in Bau.

The delegation led by president Dr Gregory Hii Sui Cheng also toured CCK group layer egg farm.

CCK group has a wide retail chain network of 57 outlets in Sarawak and Sabah. The group controls an estimated 40 per cent of the broiler (chicken) market in Sarawak.

The upgrading of the Kuching abattoir covers deboning facilities that would enable CCK to increase the production of higher-margin deboned products.

New facilities are being added to produce marinated products.

Mr Chong said CCK also owned poultry abattoirs which are equipped with cold storage facilities and full logistics set-up in Miri and Kota Kinbalu, Sabah.

Together with the Kuching abattoirs, the three abattoirs are capable of processing up to 42,000 birds per day currently.

"CCK and its joint venture partners own and operates more than 50 broiler farms. The group produces between 1.2 million and 1.3 million day-old chicks a month," he added.

Since venturing into the layer farming business in 2013 in Bau, CCK has increased its egg production capacity to reach between 180,000 and 200,000 a day.

Mr Chong said the group planned to invest in a new broiler farm in Matang near here next year to increase production to meet the increased capacity of the expanded Kuching abbatoir.

On animal feeds, he said CCK group currently sourced all its requirements from Gold Coin Malaysia Group Sdn Bhd after it acquired a 27.2 per cent stake in the latter for about RM26.7mil via a joint venture last year.

Gold Coin, a pioneer in animal nutrition and manufacturing of scientified balanced animal feed in Asia, had been a major supplier of quality feed and technical services provider to CCK group for the past three decades.

The joint venture enables the CCK group to have a presence in the entire value chain of the poultry industry, covering feeds manufacturing, farming (breeders, hatchery broiler and layer farms) and processing to distribution and retailing.

Mr Chong said CCK had operations in Jarkarta and Pontianak, Indonesia.