Farmers assured of stockfeed

Business Reporter
STOCK feed manufacturers have said they have enough feed to cater for the livestock sector needs in the wake of an anticipated drought, adding that mitigatory measures had also been put in place to ensure availability of the commodity to needy farmers.
In an interview with Sunday Business on Wednesday, Stockfeed Manufacturers Association chairman Mr Fungi Mungate said necessary mitigating measures were already in place to ensure that there was enough stock feed to cater for most farmers.

“We have made the necessary consultations with the relevant authorities and know where to get those raw materials that will be unavailable in the country,” Mr Mungate said.

He said the association has been engaging Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development to get an update on the situation in the livestock industry.

“It is through these engagements where potential areas of shortages are noted and solutions discussed,” he said.
Mr Mungate said maize and wheat brans are available but whenever there are shortages, Government through the relevant stakeholders has always afforded manufacturers import permits to import them.

This applies to all other feed additives which may be unavailable locally.
“I am happy to say that Government gave import permits for maize at the beginning of January and our members have been importing maize mainly from Zambia. This was reiterated by Deputy Minister (Livestock) Cde Paddy Zhanda, in a statement released two weeks ago when he said Government will continue giving private players the leeway to import maize to assist with the availability locally, given the pending shortages,” he said.

He said the country had enough of cotton cake and meals, which are also important in cattle feeds with some oilseed expressors actually exporting last year’s product.

He said soya meals, which are mainly for poultry and pig feeds were also available from local oilseed expressors mainly for poultry and pig feeds with molasses available from the Lowveld.

However, Mr Mungate appealed to Government to continue working with stockfeed manufacturers as there were some areas which needed improvement.