Beef production nose-dives
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
Annual beef production, which in 2005 stood at more than 90 000 tonnes, has
nose-dived and only 63 breeders are left, says National University of
Science and Technology Professor Themba Dlodlo.
18.06.1112:51pm
Ngoni Chanakira Harare
“In 2000 we also had 250 breeders with 20 000 head of cattle but in 2011 we
only have 12 breeds and three active societies. We also have only 63
breeders and 5 000 head of beef cattle in Zimbabwe today,” said Dlodlo, who
is one of the country’s most prominent commercial beef producers
“We have a serious loss of 13 well-established breeds and 187 experienced
and dedicated breeders in Zimbabwe. Our beef herd stands at a mere 15,000
and this is selectively bred herd of pedigree cattle.”
He told a conference last week that the country needed new brains to run the
Ministry of Agriculture. “You need mentorship to do commercial beef
agriculture,” said Dlodlo.
“In 2000 it is estimated that there were six million beef cattle in the
communal areas,” Dlodlo said. “In 2011 it is estimated that there are five
million. The number is on the increase again after reaching a low of about
four million.
“Some of the challenges facing the commercial beef cattle sector include
lack of veld and herd management skills, lack of farming and business
skills, as well the absence of capital for infrastructural development in
the country.
“Hand-outs have been given annually with no evidence of progress. We need to
rid ourselves from this dependency syndrome,” he said.
Dlodlo said the collapse of Zimbabwe’s “grading system” had resulted in a
“free for all” for commercial and communal beef cattle producers.
“You can’t find ‘Super Beef’ or ‘Choice Beef’ anymore in local
supermarkets,” he said.