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Zimbabwe’s raw milk production in the four months to April 2016 increased 17,95 percent to 21, 2 million litres compared to 17,9 million litres in the same period last year. Figures released by the Dairy Services Department in the Ministry of Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development shows that month on month production is averaging 5 million litres compared to an average 4 million litres same period last year comparable.Statistics show that intake by processors in the month at 4,66 million litres is 17,8 percent up April last year’s 3,96 million litres. Retailed milk for the period also increased 2,12 percent to 619,9 million litres from 607 million litres in April 2015.
The dairy industry is currently operating at above 50percent capacity with an estimated 223 registered dairy operators and a total dairy herd of about 26 000 animals this has this has negatively impacted on the capacity of milk processing firms to meet the national demand.
According to ZADF consumption level in Zimbabwe is estimated at over 120 million annually, however, productions have remained far below this level in the previous years which has resulted in the country spending millions of dollars on milk imports to bridge the deficit.
Zimbabwe produced around 150 million litres annually at its peak in the 90s but production fell shortly after the land reform programme which had a negative impact on the country’s dairy herd. — Wires.
Online Reporter