Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, [email protected]
THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has commended Queens Dairy Farm for establishing a complete value chain enterprise, playing a key role to the country’s drive for dairy import substitution.
This comes at a time Zimbabwe is actively reducing its dairy import bill by more than 20 percent reduction reported by late 2025 due to increased local production, which rose to 90 million litres annually.
The country still imports milk primarily from South Africa, Mauritius, Belgium and Denmark, with the Government calling on local farmers to increase milk production to ease import costs.
In an interview after touring Queens Dairy Farm in Bubi District located 55 kilometres (km) along the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Deputy Minister Davis Marapira commended the farm for its milk production calling for increased support for such initiatives.
“I think you are quite aware that we are producing about 130 million litres for our country, but we are still importing milk powdered milk from South Africa and other milk products. We have potential to produce 600 million litres and distribute it into our industry,” he said.
“Protection of such initiatives that are being done here at Queens Dairy Farm can give us growth. This dairy farm has potential to milk 2 000 cows, so it should be protected because it’s going to create employment.”
He said the dairy farm plays a critical role in creating raw materials for our industries in multiple provinces and was going to positively contribute to the gross domestic product of Matabeleland Province as well of the country.
Deputy Minister Marapira said the Government, through the leadership of President Mnangagwa had a very straightforward policy which should be followed.
“Dairy farms are not included in our resettlement program and also farmers who do pedigrees, the seed for our cattle which also include dairy cattle, these have to be protected because they play an important role. They are key to our drive of import substitution so that we reduce milk imports.”
The farm owned by Bubi dairy farmer, Mr Francesco Marconati currently has a herd of close to 800 dairy cattle and a milk parlour producing more than 600 litres a day, while he intends to expand to more than 2 000 dairy cattle to become a leading producer as well as processor of milk in the region.
