adminJoseph Made has said.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Principal Director, Livestock and Veterinary Services, Dr Unesu-Obatolu Ushewokunze, at a combined symposium in Harare last week, Minister Made said broiler production had grown by more than 500 percent while egg production grew by 300 percent.
“Small to medium scale producers now account for two-thirds of the broiler producers and nearly half of the egg producers.
“In the same period pig slaughters increased by 31 percent to 141 000 pigs in 2012,” he said.
Minister Made said this development addressed dietary diversification recommendations under the recently launched Food Security and Nutrition Policy.
He said the poultry and pig industries have also contributed meaningfully to the Gross Domestic Product.
Direct contributions from poultry and pig production to the GDP in 2012, Minister Made said were US$357 million and US$39 million respectively.
“Also close to 82 percent of all stockfeeds produced in the country are consumed in the poultry and pig industries making the combined two subsectors the mainstay of the feed industry,” he said.
This has resulted in employment creation which is Government’s major objective.
Despite the achievements, Minister Made said the industries were now facing challenges that could affect production.
He said the increase in the maize and soyameal which were the key ingredients in feed manufacture and competition from imports was affecting the industries.
“I hope you will come up with suggestions on how we can collaborate and resolve the issues,” he said. The two-day symposium was attended by representatives from the poultry and pig industries, veterinary experts, and farmers unions, regional and international experts in the livestock industry.
The symposium was running under the theme “Trade and Competitiveness in the Livestock Industry” aimed at examining how Zimbabwe can regain its competitiveness in the meat market by re-strategising, repositioning and reclaiming the market share.
Online Reporter