Oliver Kazunga Bulawayo Bureau
THE Livestock Farmers’ Union has said it is ready to sell its animals to any bidder, including CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe, as long as the buyers offer good prices.

Following Cabinet’s recent approval of a US$400 million joint venture between CSC and United Kingdom investor, Boustead Beef (Pvt) Ltd, the firm has embarked on massive rehabilitation of infrastructure at its ranches countrywide as it prepares to resume full-scale operations in January next year.

Formerly Cold Storage Company (CSC), it is hoped that the company will create more competition in the market, offering competitive prices to livestock producers.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, Livestock Farmers’ Union chairman Mr Sifiso Sibanda said their members were ready to sell their animals.

“As farmers, we are ready to work with CSC and we are waiting to see what work ethic the new investor is proposing,” he said.

“CSC is a national institution and being a national institution, we hope the new investor will be interested in working with the farmers. If the investor wants to work with livestock farmers and offers good prices, it is fine and fair for us, we will support that initiative.”

Before the collapse of CSC, livestock farmers used to sell their beasts to Zimbabwe’s largest beef processor and marketer.

“Right now, a good beast is selling at around R5 000 and we are hoping that as soon as the rains come, the health of the animals will improve and we will be talking of R7 000 per animal, that is our target as livestock farmers,” said Mr Sibanda.

As a result of drought that has ravaged the country, Mr Sibanda said livestock mortality has gone beyond 7 000 in Matabeleland South Province, with Beitbridge being the hardest hit.

“The mortality in Matabeleland South Province alone has gone beyond 7 000 worth about R35 million,” he said.

“It’s a scary situation, but droughts are like that. It has happened, we see it and we hope to recover from this drought eventually. We are now no longer concerned about it because it’s there, what we are now trying to think of is life after drought, we still have got to manage and grow from there.”

Ms Large Ndebele, a farmer in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North Province, said the drought situation in the area was “so bad”.

Turning to the US$300 million Command Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife Programme launched by the Government last year, Mr Sibanda hailed the initiative, saying it impacted positively on livestock farmers.

The Command Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife programme sought to revitalise communal livestock production, as well as promoting aquaculture and wildlife management.