The Sunday News
DAY-OLD chick production in Zimbabwe increased by 22 percent between 2013 and 2014 as more players came onto the market, an official has said.
In the latest broiler production update, Zimbabwe Poultry Association chairman Mr Solomon Zawe, said the broiler industry continued to grow and had set monthly and yearly records.
“Day-old chick production peaked at 8,4 million in September 2014 compared with the previous peak of 6,2 million in October 2013 and total chick production in 2014 was 78,4 million, an increase of 22 percent over the record of 64,4 million achieved in 2013,” said Mr Zawe.
Mr Zawe said large-scale broiler sector meat production in 2014 was similar to 2013 at 2 690 tonnes per month.
“However, estimated total meat production from day-old chicks produced in 2014 is estimated to have increased by 24 percent to 11 000mt per month. The increase is attributed to the growth in the smallholder sector which is estimated to account for more than 70 percent of total chick sales,” he said.
He said day-old sexed layer pullet production in 2014 was three percent down compared with 2013 while large-scale table egg production declined by 16 percent to two million dozen eggs per month.
“However, total egg production, estimated from pullet sales, is estimated to have declined by six percent to four million dozen eggs per month, which is partly offset by an increase in smallholder egg production,” said Mr Zawe.
Speaking in Bulawayo, Livestock and Meat Advisory Council administrator Mr Mario Beffa said the improvement in the poultry industry was due to the Government’s intervention by coming up with policies that protect the local market from imported genetically modified chickens from Brazil and South Africa.
He said there was a need for the Government to also put measures to protect other sectors that were being affected by imports and boost local production.
