CZI: Zimbabwe’s Manicaland Province Facing Milk Shortages
Loirdham Moyo, Obert Pepukai
15.01.2013
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) in Manicaland Province says
the dairy industry in the region may not be able to provide fresh milk to
keep up with demand.
Manicaland regional president Charles Tavazadza told VOA Studio 7 that the
number of milk producers in the province is down from 33 farmers to a mere
11.
Mr. Tavazadza said the drop in the number of dairy operations is due to many
factors, including a lack of money to keep the farms running and the lack of
training in current dairy operations and management.
The result, he said, is a likely milk shortage in the near future. The CZI
has been told that the reduced supply will lead to the probable closure of
the Mutare Dairy Depot, a key first customer for both commercial and
small-scale dairy farmers in the province.
The likely closure of the depot was confirmed by an employee at the firm,
who requested to remain anonymous as he was not authorized to speak to the
media.
The worker said the milk volumes the depot receives has drastically fallen
to levels too low to sustain operations. Efforts to get an official comment
from Dairyboard management at Mutare Dairy Depot were unsuccessful.
Tavazadza noted that the dairy industry is important as it supports other
sectors of the economy.
Petros Maunga is a small-scale dairy farmer based in Watsomba, about 40km
north east of Mutare.
Maunga said running a dairy project is costly for upcoming farmers.
Meanwhile, more than 50 of Zanu PF supporters, most of them veterans of the
1970s liberation struggle, over the weekend invaded Gutu Rural District
Council land designated for sporting facilities.
The invaders argued that they do not have space to plant seeds donated to
them by President Robert Mugabe under the Presidential Well-Wishers Input
Scheme at the beginning of the current rainy season.
The group, led by Muzorodzi Makwashe, said they invaded the property, which
had a football, volleyball and basketball pitches and other sporting
facilities because they want to utilize it for farming purposes.