Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera, Zimpapers Business Hub
ZIMBABWE is making major strides towards achieving milk self-sufficiency, after raw milk production registered a four percent surge in the first six months of this year, putting the country in good stead to achieve the 2025 national target of 132 million litres.
The country’s raw milk production increased by 74 percent from 66 million litres in 2017 to 115 million litres last year.
The dairy herd has similarly increased by 72 percent over the same period.
Recent statistics from the Dairy Services Unit (DSU) show a continuous upward trend, with raw milk volumes increasing from 55,1 million litres in the first-half of 2024 to 57,2 million in the comparable period this year.
Stakeholders in the industry are targeting a 15 percent increase in raw milk output from 114 699 million litres last year to 132 million litres this year.
The Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) national chairman, Mr Edward Warambwa, said the nation was still on track to become milk self-reliant this year.
“We are confident that if pressing issues relating to pricing, cost of feed and power challenges are addressed, coupled with the good rainfall season, milk production will continue to increase in the following months.
“The good rains received this year have been quite helpful in terms of pasture availability and also the harvest for fodder and silage crop has been good,” Mr Warambwa said.
The June raw milk production volume of 9,873 million litres has been the highest so far this year.
In comparison to last year, the June output was seven percent higher.
Mr Warambwa has urged farmers to preserve feed to ensure supply throughout the year.
“Though prices of feed are likely to come down, they might not be as low as before the drought last year due to the current impact of the turbulent macro-economic environment and price distortions.
“Milk production in the first half of 2025 increased as a result of a good rainfall season, which saw a recovery in the pastures and increased water availability for both plants and animals,” he continued.
The El Nino-induced drought last year resulted in feed and water scarcity for dairy animals.
He urged farmers to continue adopting cost-effective ways of maximising milk yields at the lowest possible feed cost.
Through constant provision of pluralistic extension services on dairy production, genetics, animal health and nutrition from the Government and private sector, farmers’ yields have continued to grow.
ZADF is supporting dairy farmers to overcome some of the challenges affecting the sector, such as rising feed costs against unresponsive milk prices, erratic power supply and adverse weather conditions.
Government, in collaboration with ZADF, development partners, and the private sector, is implementing the breeding strategy aimed at supporting independent dairy breeders working on improving dairy genetics and herd growth.
“There is ongoing adoption of breeding technologies, which include artificial insemination programmes.
“Work and research are ongoing to ensure semen harvesting technology is adopted on dairy farms, as well as ensuring increased use of modernised pregnancy diagnosis equipment,” said Mr Warambwa.
Research is being done on the use of robotic milking systems and how they can assist the industry in improving efficiency in terms of milking, quality testing and grading.
ZADF is promoting modification of management systems to adapt to the new climatic conditions with management options such as a feeding plan, selection of resilient animals and adoption of climate-smart technological tools and techniques.
Mr Warambwa said his organisation had field officers across the country who provided extension services to all classes of dairy farmers, as well as hiring experts to train farmers on breeding, nutrition and veterinary services to ensure a vibrant dairy industry.
Dairy Processors Association of Zimbabwe (DPAZ) secretary general, Mrs Tendayi Marecha, said though milk production was increasing, it was still below the industry’s requirements.
“Currently, production is below our requirements and we fill that gap with imported milk powders. Our per capita milk consumption of seven litres is still far below the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard of 45 litres and far below our peak in the late 1990s of 27 litres.
“Though local products are of good quality, we, however, need to promote milk consumption through programmes such as the milk in schools’ initiative,” she said.
