The Sunday News
RAW milk production in Zimbabwe went up 2,7 percent to 4,7 million litres in July 2014 from 4,58 million litres in the same period last year.
Figures released by the dairy services department in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development show that the production of milk has been increasing since March this year as a result of an increased availability of stock feed.
The July production was up from 4,51 million litres in June. In the period under review, intake of raw milk by processors was 1,5 percent up from last year at 4,2 million litres while milk retailed by producers was 13 percent up at 511 832 litres.
Despite the growth in milk production in the second half of 2014, Zimbabwe is still lagging behind other Sadc countries in terms of production with South Africa leading the pack.
Zimbabwe has become a net importer of milk and milk products as the country struggles to meet national demand of 120 million litres per annum.
Last year, producers failed to meet the production target of 70 million litres after recording 54,6 million litres of milk down from 55,9 million litres in the previous year.
The dairy industry is operating at 45 percent capacity with about 223 registered dairy operators and a dairy herd of about 26 000 animals.
At its peak in 1999, Zimbabwe produced over 150 million litres of milk annually and was exporting into the region and beyond. Zimbabwean processors have, however, embarked on a drive to increase the heifer herd and this has been shown in the increase in milk production.
Market watchers believe more training to smallholder dairy farmers can help increase production. — BH24.
