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Edgar Vhera-Agriculture Specialist Writer
FARMERS are finally getting the full value of their cattle after the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) intervened to unfetter them from unscrupulous buyers, who until recently, had been under-valuing their animals and depriving them of their deserved revenue.
AMA agribusiness director Mr Jonathan Mukuruba revealed this in an interview with The Herald Agri-Business yesterday while giving an update on the trading activities nationwide.
“Cattle sales are continuing across the country and farmers are happy with AMA’s intervention after years of being fleeced by unscrupulous cattle buyers. Latest cattle sales occurred in Matabeleland North’s Lupane district on November 30.
“The five major buyers who participated are Mbokodo Abattoirs, MC Meats, Mark Beja, Jotsholo Abattoir and Heads and Hooves. Out of the 35 animals brought for sale, only 27 were successfully sold with the remaining eight being rejected for not being fit for the market,” said Mr Mukuruba.
Mr Mukuruba went on to give an analysis of the market trading activities saying the highest price fetched was US$631 for a bull. Average prices per kilogramme for the different cattle categories were as shown below.
Class Average price US$/kg
Cows 1, 10
Bulls 1, 70
Heifers 1, 60
Oxen 1, 40
Before the auction sales, farmers were complaining that they used to get between US$0, 60 to US$0, 80 per kilogramme.
Mr Mukuruba encouraged them to frequently dip their cattle and give them supplementary feeding to improve the body score index and ultimately getter better value for their animals.
According to AMA, the next cattle auction programmes are scheduled for Mutiusinazita, Gwama, Sanga and Bhindiri in Buhera District on 6, 7, 8 and 9 December 2022 respectively with farmers encouraged to improve the cattle’s body condition before the auction dates.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union secretary general Mr Paul Zakariya said their members had benefited immensely from the cattle auction, as they were being conducted in areas that use market forces of demand and supply as opposed to farmers being price takers as had been happening in the past.
“We applaud AMA for reviving these cattle trading platforms, as they help our members who are predominantly located in communal and old resettlement areas to find markets for their beasts.
Without these auctions farmers were mere price takers and it was an informal agreement between the cattle seller and the buyer. Buyers would usually take advantage of the farmer’s dire situations to fix unviable prices in their favour. This would in no way be related to the body score of the animal or the forces of demand and supply,” said Mr Zakariya.
The auction marketing arrangement will ensure that the best quality beast receives the highest price, which will go a long way in supporting livestock production and marketing, added Mr Zakariya.
Online Reporter