eBusiness Weekly
Africa Moyo and Nesia Mhaka
Dairy milk production improved 19 percent last year to 75,4 million litres compared to the previous year (2017), driven by a number of interventions by Government and the private sector.
This comes as good news as the country is forging ahead with efforts to reduce imports and save the much-needed foreign currency.
A 2018 report released by the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services’ Dairy Services Unit shows that milk production rose from almost 66,4 million litres in 2017 to 75,4 million litres last year. Capacity utilisation by milk processors also surged as milk intake by processors during the year increased by 20 percent to 67,9 million litres compared to 2017.
In 2017, 59,4 million litres were processed. The principal dairy officer in the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services’ Dairy Services Unit Addmore Waniwa said, “The Government and industry initiatives have resulted in increased consumption of local dairy products and this has translated into increased capacity utilisation by processors to approximately 18 percent compared to 2017.”
One of the interventions by Government for the dairy sector was the Industry Dairy Revitalisation Project, which raised funds for developing the sector through voluntary levying of imports.
“Through the revitalisation programme, more than 150 heifers have been imported from South Africa and that coupled with on farm breeding has assisted the industry in increasing production
“The dairy herd size continues to grow through breeding and imports of dairy animals with the current herd size which is about 100 000,” said Waniwa.
He added that their projection for 2018 was between 70 million litres, which was in line with industry targets of 12 percent annual growth in milk production. Government also supported the sector through the regulation of imports, which also led to increased milk production.
“The dairy industry has benefited from the monitoring of imports as the country is now only importing shortfalls of what we cannot make.
“Through this support, farmers are able to produce more,” said Waniwa.
He added that the country was on the edge of being self-sufficient in most dairy products except for cheese, butter and powdered milk.
However, production costs remain high especially stock feed, despite the fact that Government has put in place a policy that encourages more cropping through increased contract farming and local milling of strategic crops such as soya beans, maize and wheat.
“Farmers are still facing a plethora of challenges, chief among them expensive stock feed, high cost of electricity as well as shortage of forex to purchase drugs,” said Waniwa.
