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Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
National standards have been set for free range poultry production to improve marketing efficiency in regional and international markets.
The standards will also promote sustainable intensive production under the Presidential Poultry Scheme (PPS).
Speaking on behalf of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka, during a launch of national standards of free range poultry production, planning director Mr Abraham Mashumba said the good agricultural practises for free range poultry production standard will ensure improved production in line with the livestock recovery and growth plan.
Market access became limited due to perceived poor quality so the standards would improve competitiveness by bringing assurance to consumers on the safety and quality of the poultry products, hence exports will be easily facilitated.
“Standardisation will help our free range poultry to be exported easily outside the country,” said Mr Mashumba. “It also guarantees that Zimbabweans are going to consume the products that are standardised, quality products and that there are no any health nutritional issues.
“Government fully supports this great initiative and encourage that the same be considered for more of our agriculture production.”
Zimbabwe Free Range Poultry Association in partnership with Standards Association of Zimbabwe and Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development and other stakeholders have developed the national standard for free range poultry production.
This was the first key standard to guide farmers and value chain actors in the sustainable production and marketing of free-range poultry in Zimbabwe.
The standard focuses on all the four free range poultry groups of chicken, turkey, duck and guinea fowl. It takes into consideration the health consciousness and animal welfare concerns which are now seriously being upheld by consumers worldwide.
Zimbabwe Agricultural Society chief executive officer Dr Andrew Matibiri said the launch was a milestone in agricultural development as the nation continued to promote sustainable farming practices.
“It is important to make sure that our production practices are in line with international standards. There is a need to maintain the highest level standards. It also provides a framework for farmers to implement best practices in the production of free range poultry,” he said.
Standards Association of Zimbabwe acting director general Mr Cosmas Mukoyi said there was need to guarantee the safety of products.
“It is critical to produce goods that conform to the standards,” he said. “The standards we have launched today is unique regional and international. It is also the first standard to cover poultry. Our country can achieve more in terms of market access and improve the livelihood of our citizens.”
Poultry producers who spoke to The Herald hailed the development, saying they were earning more money through supplying eggs to the Zimbabwe Free Range Poultry Association at the Exhibition Park in Harare.
One of the producers, Mr Arnold Mutamba of Norton, said he supplied an average of 80 crates of fertilised eggs per week towards the Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme and this helped him to send his daughter to university.
“Most farmers started supplying the eggs and I supply an average of 2 400 fertilised eggs weekly for hatching,” he said. “Supplying fertilised eggs has helped me and now my daughter is studying law at University of Zimbabwe.”
Mrs Chengetai Katsvamutima of Chitungwiza said the scheme created a ready market.
“I was in poultry production for the past three years, but now I started supplying eggs to this organisation,” she said. “Everything is flowing, no losses are encountered, l get all my money. There is no need to find markets, we have a ready market. This is pleasing.”
Mr Bernard Mudyariwa of Chegutu said poultry was a cash income business which did not require a lot of efforts.
“If taken seriously, this is a business which brings more money in the family and does not require a lot of work,” he said. “No sweat in poultry. We are getting more money from this. I supply 50 to 60 crates per week.”
Mrs Farayi Mashazhu of Bluff Hill said she makes more profit from selling road runners adding that she has a great passion towards poultry production.
“It’s not easy to be in poultry production but passion push me to do that. To me road runners are the real meat. From four road runners that l kept at home they multiplied to 150 within a year. Neighbours and visitors were also interested in this production,” she said.
A youthful farmer Mr Kudzi Mungwariri said there was a need to adhere to national standards that were important in stimulating productivity and growth.
“This will promote sustainable growth and create competition in local and international markets. I benefited immensely from the production adding that the project has transformed their lives,” he said.
Over one million birds have so far been distributed under the Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme (PRPS), which is rolling out in the country’s eight rural provinces and two metropolitan provinces.
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