Melody Mashaire : Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S raw milk production has increased 16,6 percent since the beginning of this year to 26,5 million litres. Statistics as at May 31 showed significant increase from 22,7 million litres that was produced last year during the same period. The local dairy industry is currently producing an average of five million litres of raw milk per month against a monthly demand of 10 million litres. The balance is being offset by imports of processed and already packaged milk.However, production has been gradually rising as processors like Dairibord, Nestle and Dendairy rolled out heifer importation schemes, a move that has seen a significant increase in the dairy sector’s capacity and output.
Government also introduced a 25 percent levy on imported dairy products as a way of stimulating the sector’s performance.
There was a 7,2 percent increase in the amount of milk sold by producers to 3 million litres in the period under review from 2,8 million litres last year.
Month on month, raw milk production for May was 0,8 percent up at 5,32 million litres compared to 5,28 million litres produced in April.
The dairy industry is operating on low capacity, with an estimated 223 registered dairy operators and a herd of about 26 000 animals leaving producers struggling to meet national demand of 120 million litres per annum.
In 1990, the country was producing over 256 million litres of raw milk and exporting into the region before output plummeted to an all-time low of 36 million litres in 2009 as the economic environment deteriorated.
Production has since improved marginally to approximately 55,5 million litres in 2014.
Despite the growth, the country is still lagging behind other countries in the region in terms of raw milk production.