Milk production down
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/
Zimbabwe’s milk production is in decline due to the reduction of milk
producing cows, an official has said.
05.10.1107:33am
by Tony Saxon
There used to be 200 000 milk producing cows in the country but now there
are only 38 000. Commentators said President Robert Mugabe’s chaotic land
reform has
seen dairy farming crumbling, as the resettled farmers slaughtered the dairy
cows to sell the meat, while others did not have the dairy farming technical
knowhow.
Nestle Zimbabwe country manager, Kumbirai Katsande, said Zimbabwe should
resuscitate the dairy industry to stimulate competition.
“This will see the steep producer price of milk which farmers are charging
going down. The dwindling milk production over the years has caused the rise
in milk producer prices. Our Zimbabwean milk is very expensive as a result
we are now importing from South Africa to supplement local supplies,” he
said.
Katsande said Nestle’s milk processing line was running at 30 percent
capacity utilization.
He said: “In addition to lowering production costs, resuscitating the dairy
industry will also ensure adequate provision of some milk products which are
currently in short supply.”