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Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
Farmers have increased dairy production by 18 percent in the first nine months of the year with the backing of the Government, cutting imports by US$5 million compared to the same period last year and earning that extra money themselves.
Dairy farmers pushed up raw milk production from 72 million to 85 million litres over the nine months. As a result, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) found that dairy product imports declined 29 percent from US$18 292 411 in the first nine months of last year to US$12 913 103 in the comparable period this year.
In volume terms, dairy product imports dropped 12 percent from 4 862 092 to 4 286 129 kilogrammes. Imported products include milk, cream, yoghurt, buttermilk, ice cream, whey, butter and cheese, among other products.
Dairy Processors Association of Zimbabwe (DPAZ) secretary general, Mrs Tendayi Marecha, said there was need for locally produced milk to be cheap to curtail imports.
“The growth in milk production is much appreciated although it is not enough to meet our processing requirements. Our major challenge is the high cost of local raw milk, which is more expensive than imports,” said Mrs Marecha.
Among the cost drivers are water, electricity and fuel that tend to make the country’s products more expensive.
The country requires about 131 million litres of milk a year for self-sufficiency and this appears likely by end of next year due to the predicted good 2024-2025 agriculture season, the import and distribution of dairy cattle with improved animal genetics, forages for animal nutrition and improved animal breeding through artificial insemination, among others.
This year raw milk production is expected to increase 15 percent from 100-115 million litres with current shortfalls being met through imports of cheap powdered milk.
In the 2023 budget, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube announced the gradual substitution of dairy product imports through increased local production.
He urged dairy processors to simultaneously increase their uptake of raw milk to 130 million litres per annum by next year.
The Government also used a sliding scale to reduce milk powder imports starting at 75 percent in 2023 to 50 percent in 2024 and 25 percent by 2025.
The effects of these fiscal measures are beginning to bear fruit, as milk product imports dropped 16 percent from US$37 million in 2021 to US$31 million in 2022. They further declined by 15 percent to US$27 million in 2023.
Figures released by the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) show that the national dairy herd grew by 13,4 percent from 53 250 in 2022 to 60 398 in 2023. The milking herd stood at 39 811 in 2023. The industry has since surpassed the 2025 target of a total dairy herd of 60 000 and 38 000 milking cows.
ZADF national chairman, Mr Edward Warambwa said the growth in the dairy sector was a show of resilience by farmers and enhanced knowledge in dairy production.
“Although we have experienced a decline in milk production in the month of September, we are still on course to meet the set target of 115 million litres this year. The decrease in the milk output can be attributed to deteriorating pasture condition and water availability due to El Nino conditions,” he said.
Online Reporter