The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Farming Reporter
UMZINGWANE Dairy Association (UDA) in Matabeleland South Province is set to resume operations at its milk processing plant next month after improved milk deliveries from farmers around the area.
UDA was forced to suspend operations at its plant, Umzingwane Dairy Centre at Mawabeni Business Centre in October last year as only one member out of 35 was making deliveries as milk yields from dairy cows dropped significantly due to lack of adequate pastures.
At its formation in 2001 the association had 60 members but 25 opted out over the years.
“Late last year we experienced low milk flows with only one member making deliveries at the centre and as a result we were forced to shut down. We are set to open in June.
“Since we are likely to start operations during the off peak period we will seek support from Umzingwane commercial farmers that have been making deliveries at our centre. Virtually all of our members don’t have much fodder, we rely on natural pastures,” said UDA chairperson Mrs Sheila Lupuwana.
The two commercial farmers that have been delivering milk at the processing plant are Mr Gavin Canter and Ms Catroina Stone with the latter having joined the association as a member.
Umzingwane Milk Centre is a brainchild of rural farmers drawn from around the district.
Mrs Lupuwana said UDA was working at registering as a co-operative after a number of its clients stopped purchasing its milk products, saying they could not conduct any form of business transaction with the association which is not registered with statutory institutions such as Zimra.
“We had a challenge with most of our clients as they ended up refusing to accept our products demanding our Business Partner (BP) number and this forced us to approach Zimra for registration but it refused to accept our constitution stating that it can only do so if it was recommended by legal practitioners.
“We had to settle for registering as a cooperative instead of a company as we felt the fee was very affordable than recognising ourselves as a corporate. We are currently engaged with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise and Co-operatives Development to register as a cooperative,” she said.
A BP number acts as the business’ identification number and is used for all transactions with Zimra, including remittances of tax.
The Dairy Centre also had its electricity cut as the association struggled to clear a $600 debt it owed Zesa.
“Zesa had cut supplies to the Dairy Centre but we have managed to make a partly payment to the bill we owed them and they have promised to reconnect us soon.
“However, we would like to register our displeasure at Zesa as they cut supplies when we are at our peak and as a result we are forced to throw away milk from our refrigerators as it would have gone bad,” said Mrs Lupuwana.
It is not a first for the centre to have its power supplies cut as it resumed operations three years ago after shutting down for two years after failing to settle a $1 700 electricity bill.
Mrs Lupuwana said Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operatives Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni promised to recommend the association to be included among the beneficiaries of the forthcoming Livestock Command Programme.
The Government is rolling out a $150 million livestock programme covering restocking, equipment, pasture development and resuscitation of the Cold Storage Company.
UDA intends to replace its obsolete milk processing plant and cold room it has been using since it started operating in 2001.
It is also looking forward to purchasing refrigerated trucks for collecting milk from milking points to the milk centre.
As part of its strategy to enhance its enterprise, Umzingwane Dairy Association is appealing for land to turn into a fodder farm as well as funding to procure modern milk processing machinery.
@DNsingo
