Pay dipping levies, farmers told

chemicals and maintenance of dipping tanks.
This will help prevent the spread of livestock diseases. The dipping levy is US$1 per beast per year.
DVS deputy director, Field Services, Mr Chenjerayi Njagu said the money which is paid by farmers was not enough to buy chemicals and vaccines although Government also contributed towards buying the chemicals.

“Farmers contribute only a quarter of the expenses and the rest come from the Government.
“All livestock producers should take dipping seriously as this will reduce the spread of tick-borne diseases which are a major challenge in livestock production,” he said.

Dr Njagu said farmers in some areas such as Matabeleland were very co-operative.
“Sometimes we give preference to those farmers paying the levy when there is a shortage of dipping chemicals,” he said.

In most farming areas, farmers organise their dipping committees, which are responsible for conducting the activity. If farmers fail to pay dipping levies, their stock cards are confiscated.
Some farmers are complaining that they are failing to sell their cattle because dipping attendants would have confiscated their cards. While most communal farmers are complaining about the high dipping fees commercial farmers say the fees are affordable.

Karoi farmer, Mr Ishmael Goredema, said only farmers without full knowledge of the advantages of dipping were complaining.
“It is cheaper to dip cattle than to buy vaccines for curing diseases,” he said. Marondera farmer, Mr Taurai Tembo, said he usually dips his livestock on his own.

“I use a total of US$15 for spraying 90 cattle and for curing, one can use more than that per beast,” he said. Every year farmers lose cattle due to tick-borne related diseases.