The Livestock Development Corporation (LDC) has been operating for over 40 years at the Tiaba property outside Port Moresby after Livestock Development Corporation was first being created in 1982, with the mandate to generate revenue for the State through commercial beef cattle production.

Currently after the rehabilitation, the abattoir has the capacity to hold 50 beef carcasses and up to 100 pig carcasses per day, or deliver 10 tonnes of fresh meat per day and is one of only two out of five across the country that are currently in operation.

The facility and its operations had over the years been neglected and ran down for decades owing to management negligence while illegal squatting had engulfed the once thriving livestock production facility.

In 2022 the management had begun performing rehabilitation activities and perimeter fencing, aiming to increase local meat production and reduce PNG’s reliance on expensive meat imports as per Prime Minister James Marape’s directive.

There are now over 100 cattle at Tiaba being fattened for the slaughterhouse, with a focus on maintaining a healthy grazing paddock and appropriate food source. LDC has invested in infrastructure and equipment, including solar-powered bore water systems and diesel generators, to ensure uninterrupted power supply for the refurbished livestock production facility.

The facility also faces challenges, including a debris flow-induced river blockage caused by an old bridge, which poses a risk to human and livestock livelihood, including negative impact on grazing grounds and property fencing. LDC operations team is working rigorously to address these challenges and ensure the smooth operation of the Tiaba abattoir is maintained as part of its broader efforts to revitalize PNG’s livestock industry.