RECOVERY of the country’s egg market is expected to take longer as investments in layer breeding birds, though positive, have not reached the levels accomplished in the broiler sector.
Prices are expected to remain high in the second to third quarters. The industry is against the importation of table eggs to increase supply given the existing threat of Avian Influenza (AI) in the region.
“Total layer breeding stock dropped from 48 000 in July to 22 000 in August 2017 because of destocking measures to contain the flu,” the Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA)’s May 2018 Update Report said.
Total breeding stock had recovered to 42 000 in January 2018 on the back of investments in growing stock, but had declined to 34 000 in March this year.
The total large-scale laying stock partially recovered from the AI-induced destocking low of 629 000 in August 2017 to 848 000 in March 2018, but was
still 80 percent lower of pre-AI stock levels.
“In-lay stocks partially recovered from a low of 478 000 in August to reach 515 000 in March and investments in growing stocks increased significantly from 128 000 birds in December to 333 000 in March 2018,” ZPA said.
As a result, large-scale table egg production increased from a low of 0,9 million dozen for the period August 2017 to February 2018 to 1,1 million dozen in March.
Small-scale egg production is estimated to also have increased to 1,8 million dozen per month for the period December to March.
Poultry trade statistics indicate a disturbing trend where, despite a ban on imports of poultry products from South Africa after the outbreak of AI there, some 1 000 tonnes of poultry products were imported from South Africa in 2017.
“Both the emergence of Avian Influenza in the southern Africa region, and listeriosis deaths in SA over the last 15 months highlight the health and economic risks from the uncontrolled importation of livestock products,” ZPA said.
Poultry production in Zimbabwe is still recovering from the effects of a single outbreak of Avian Influenza a year ago that occurred at the largest poultry breeder operation in the country. This disrupted production across the industry and resulted in a shortage of eggs.
Zimbabwe was declared AI free by the World Organisation for Animal Health in January this year, but the ban on the importation of poultry products and live birds from South Africa remains in force as a control measure to protect the local industry.
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