Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
MILK production in Manicaland rose by 5,18 percent, climbing from 30 739 450 litres last season to 32 331 913 litres.
The growth was largely driven by the Presidential Silage Scheme and increased output from small-scale dairy farmers, firmly consolidating the province’s position as Zimbabwe’s second-largest milk producer, contributing 27 percent of the national output.
According to the Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment Report (CLAFA-2) for the 2025/26 summer season, Manicaland has emerged as the country’s second premier dairy region.
The report attributes this to the province’s cooler, wetter conditions and adherence to key practices such as securing high-quality feed for the dry season, improved breeding, and managing rainfall to avoid waterlogged pastures.
An estimated 5 409 405 litres of milk were produced from beef cows milked across the province’s seven districts during short 30–50-day lactation periods.
This widespread offtake, primarily for household consumption and limited commercial sale, signals recovery after years of fluctuating production caused by droughts, high feed costs, limited financing, and lack of technical knowledge among small-scale farmers.
The Presidential Silage Scheme has been credited with reducing production costs by providing free inputs for feed, encouraging communal, resettlement, and A1 farmers to embrace dairy farming. This has led to increased deliveries to processing centres.
Nationally, Mashonaland East leads with 43 percent of output, followed by Manicaland at 27 percent and Midlands at 20 percent.
Together, the three provinces contributed 90 percent of the total raw milk output of 121 846 916 litres in 2025.
This marks a 6,23 percent increase from 114 699 440 litres in 2024.
“The national milk production data shows that Mashonaland East (43 percent), Manicaland (27 percent), and Midlands (20 percent) are the top milk-producing provinces, contributing 90 percent of the total raw milk output of 121 846 916 litres. An estimated total of 33 100 927 liters of milk was produced from beef cows milked across the eight provinces during an average 30-50-day milking period. The figures reflect low, but widespread milk offtake from beef cattle, consistent with short lactation milking primarily for household consumption and limited commercial sale. Cumulatively national milk production was 154 947 843 liters in 2025.
“The national cattle off-take rate remained unchanged at 10,5 percent in 2025, indicating stable levels of cattle sales and slaughter relative to the total herd. The estimated total beef produced in 2025 was 102 988mt compared to 94 623mt in 2024 – an 8,8 percent increase. Dairy herd increased from 65 659 to 70 584 – a 7,5 percent increase, while milk production increased to 154 947 843 litres a 6,2 percent increase. Total commercial stock feed production was 1 004 806mt in 2025 compared to 1 020 776mt in 2024,” reads the CLAFA 2 report in part, further noting that low calving performance is attributed to factors such as poor herd fertility, use of breeding cows for draught power, and unregulated breeding practices, while strengthening interventions in nutrition, veterinary care, and breeding management will be critical to improving calving rates.
Manicaland calving rate was 42 percent, while body condition for cattle ranged from fair to good.
Manicaland boasts 656 656 cattle, with the communal areas accounting for 457 577, followed by old resettlement 115 987, large-scale commercial farmers, 3 156, A2 14 572, A1 49 197, and small scale commercial areas 16 167.
The country has a national herd of 5 760 439.
Provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Services (ARDS) acting director, Mrs Bessy Masvanhise said the rise in milk production is a result of the Presidential Silage Scheme, through which President Emmerson Mnangagwa is distributing free inputs to farmers to grow their own cattle feed.
“The rise in milk production in the province is mainly due to the support being given to farmers by Government through the Presidential Silage Scheme. The 8.0 Development Model includes the Presidential Silage Scheme, where dairy farmers are receiving seed, fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides to grow silage on a hectare. This silage has helped to increase milk yields as farmers supplement it with purchased feed and pasture. A total of 625 small-scale dairy farmers are benefitting under the silage scheme. Small-scale farmers who are doing extremely well are at Tsonzo, Rusitu, Cynara and other cooperatives such as Sangano. Farmers should not be hesitant to take up dairy farming, as Government has support structures across the province to assist them,” said Mrs Masvanhise.
Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) region chairperson, Mrs Rudo Sithole said the dairy sector is on a strong recovery path, buoyed by Government’s targeted interventions, an active association and support from development agencies, which had seen smallholder farmers showing great interest in the sector.
Following the ban on the importation of heifers to contain the spread of disease, Mrs Sithole said the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) and individual farmers are now importing semen from countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany, which had positively impacted breed production levels.
“There has been a gradual increase in the number of dairy farmers in the province over the past few years, and these are mainly at small-scale level. Under the Presidential Silage Scheme, farmers are receiving free seed to grow silage for dairy cows, and this is helping to boost production levels as the cows now have standard and recommended feed. Government is also supplying us with pasture seed, and in some areas farmers have received feed for dairy cows from China.
“ZADF is also assisting farmers through the PUM intervention, where nutrition experts from the Netherlands are training individual farmers and cooperatives to make their own feed on the farm, which helps to reduce production costs. Farmers are being equipped with proper knowledge on the growing and management of pastures. There is also an artificial insemination programme run by the association, which acts as a substitute for purchasing dairy bulls, which are very expensive. Dairibord Zimbabwe is also providing experts to treat ill cows, and this is helping to curb mortalities. There is a very strong dairy value chain involving the Government, ZADF, Dairibord Zimbabwe, and the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), which is maintaining roads leading to farms so that collection trucks can access all dairy producers,” said Mrs Sithole.
