Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE-based milk processor; Dendairy has partnered the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) and the Zimbabwe Dairy Industrial Trust (ZDIT) to facilitate the importation of dairy heifers into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Eighty-eight heifers are already awaiting delivery into Zimbabwe pending veterinary clearance as the country seeks to boost milk production.

The importation of the heifers is being done under the Dairy Revitalisation Programme where levies on imported dairy products are being channelled to purchasing livestock as part of capacity building of small-scale milk production centres.

Dendairy managing director, Darren Coetzee said his company was working with the DRC through levying heifers while the ZADF and ZDIT identifies beneficiaries of the heifers which will be paid in instalments of between three to five years.

“The heifers which are coming into the country are not coming under Dendairy, but we’re assisting with the importation of those animals. The first batch of 88 heifers should be coming into the country anytime from now, subject to clearance from the Veterinary Services Department.”

“The ZADF will be identifying the farmers who’ll benefit from this facility. We’re going to levy the beneficiaries. The heifers are a lot cheaper as compared to other regional players,” he said.

The facility will operate as a revolving fund which will see the small-scale dairy farmers benefiting for the next five years.

The Dendairy boss said if the trend of importation of dairy cows continues, the country would soon be self sufficient in terms of milk production.

“Local processors would probably begin to supply the local market in a very short space of time. Probably next year, you might see foreign dairy products being restricted even more,” he said.

The government introduced a 25 percent levy on dairy products as a way of stimulating local dairy growth. The country is producing about five million litres of milk per month against a monthly demand of 10 million litres.

The balance is being offset by imports. National milk production increased from 150 million litres in 1980, peaking at 256 million litres in 1990 before plummeting to an all-time low of 36 million litres in 2009.

The country has a potential to process 400 million litres of milk per year. The government has assured white dairy farmers that they will be spared from compulsory land acquisition if they increase milk production.