Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
DAIRY farmers in the Matabeleland region have appealed for the establishment of the milk processing plants, citing that the ones that used to operate have closed, posing challenges to players that are already struggling financially.
In an interview, Umguza dairy farmer Mr Gilbert Moyo said the region has 67 registered dairy farmers, which include commercial, medium, and small-scale producers.
Mr Moyo also said there is a lack of funding for the players in the region, articulating the non-availability of processors, saying that in places where there are processors, they fund farmers through giving them heifers, which assist in improving output.
He said the dairy sector is capital-intensive, highlighting that a farmer should have at least 15 heifers to be identified as a milk producer.
“If we can reopen the processing plants, we can grow this sector,” said Mr Moyo.
He said challenges that include finance have resulted in the closure of dairy farms and the loss of jobs, saying that AFC Bank should go back to its mandate of funding farmers for the sectors growth.
“The concept of AFC Bank, the former Agi Bank, was good, but now the interest rates are huge.”
Mr Moyo said the nearest milk processing plant is in the Midlands, which affects the sector.
Zimbabwe’s dairy sector experienced a significant average production growth of 21 percent in the first half of the year 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The increase is largely attributed to concerted efforts that have resulted in a 170 percent increase in national milk production from the country’s lowest point of 37 million litres in 2009 to 99,8 million litres in 2023.
The 21 percent growth was achieved despite the El Nino-induced drought and various challenges faced by farmers in their day-to-day operations, ranging from social, economic, to environmental.
The dairy value chain is one of the country’s 10 priority value chains, where the Government seeks to increase the production of value-added milk products.
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Blessing Chizhande