Milk production up

Roberta Katunga and Dumisani Nsingo Senior Business Reporters
THE country’s dairy industry has recorded a marginal increase of 3,3 percent in milk production. Statistics from the Dairy Services Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development show that milk production for the period January to November stood at 52 284 821 litres, up from 50 616 040 last year. The Dairy Services Unit also states that intake of raw milk for processing for the period January to November was marginally up by 1,4 percent from 45 172 169 litres in 2014 to 45 840 191 litres.

However, despite the continuous increase in milk production the industry is still far below the required 120 million litres per year. Zimbabwe Dairy Industry Trust (ZDIT) chairman Mr Tatenda Napata said there was a need to increase productivity and reduce the cost of milk production throughout the value chain.

“The combined efforts of all stakeholders in the country’s dairy value chain have seen gradual increases in milk production as evidenced by comparisons between the national production figures of 37 million litres registered in 2009 and 50 million litres for the year 2014. We are, however, still far short of our annual national milk requirement of 120 million litres and comparative cost of $0,40 per litre, farm gate price,” said Mr Napata.

He said it was imperative for Government, farmers and processors to continue to work together to arrest the current low milk production volumes and secure milk supply.
“In the coming year, there will be need for increased awareness campaigns to the public on the nutritional benefits of consuming safe milk and milk products to ensure our output remains relevant in this ever changing global environment,” he said.

In his 2016 National Budget, Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Government would be supporting initiatives to improve on the breeds and herd size of heifers with an objective of increasing the dairy herd from the current levels of 28 000.

Meanwhile, lack of funding and drought is threatening the viability of one of the country’s rare rural agricultural projects, Umzingwane Dairy Association (UDA) in Matabeleland South province.

UDA was formed by a group of rural farmers mostly women from Umzingwane district in 2002, and operates a milk processing plant, Umzingwane Milk Centre, situated at Mawabeni Business Centre in Matabeleland South.

The association’s chairperson, Mrs Sheila Lupuwana said milk deliveries at the Milk Centre have significantly dropped as members grapple to realise substantial milk yields from their cows for processing owing to lack of pastures and readily accessible sources of water due to drought.
Most of the farmers rely on graze as they cannot afford to buy stockfeed for their animals.

“Due to the effects of drought most of our members are no longer delivering milk at the centre. To be precise only four farmers are still delivering milk and our monthly collection has dropped to just above 1 000 litres down from 4 000 to 5 000 litres, which we used to record at our peak,” Mrs Lupuwana said.
UDA is home to 45 dairy farmers although only 35 have been active over the past two years.

“We are also appealing to Government to give us a piece of land whereby we will create a fodder bank and have all the farmers grouping their dairy animals there, that way we won’t have problems with feed and water, which are essential in dairy production.

“We also intend to approach Esigodini Agricultural College and negotiate with them to attach some of their students with us and in the same vein we are looking at having our cows being milked by professionals as we make efforts to increase our production,” said Mrs Lupuwana.

The association also needs over $20 000 for the refurbishment and purchasing of new equipment for its milk processing centre. Early this year, UDA applied for a $20 000 grant from a non-governmental organisation, SNV but nothing has materialised to date.

“We are also looking for funding to replace some of our equipment at the centre, which is now derelict. The Ministry of Women Affairs recently instructed us to apply for a loan facility and we have since done that.

“We also have Fintrac, which is currently working with us but the organisation doesn’t provide loans but has links with potential funders thus as it is we are in dire need of capital injection,” Mrs Lupuwana said.

Fintrac is a United State consulting company, which has implemented a five-year programme aimed assisting UDA to improving the sustainability and viability of its milk project. The organisation is implementing projects across three continents to improve incomes and food security for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.