HARARE: Zimbabwe has reduced by 32 percent the importation of milk and milk products from neighbouring countries due to increased local production, the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) has said.
Figures released by the association show that in September 2015 the country imported dairy products worthy US$1,24 million down from US$1,84 million in the corresponding period last year.
Due to low raw milk production and depressed capacity utilization by milk processors, the country has been importing milk and milk products to augment local supplies from countries such as South Africa and Zambia.
On average, the Southern African country is producing about four million litres of milk per month. ZADF said there has been a slowdown in imported dairy products from 2013 to 2015.
“A year-on-year comparison shows a significant decrease of 376% in imports between September 2013 and September 2014. A further slump of 117% was also recorded from US$1.84 million in September 2014 to US$1.24 million in September 2015,” it said
“LMAC (Livestock and Meat Advisory Council) market analysis indicates a softening in the market for dairy products which points to a weakening buying power of consumers.”
It said there was a stable increase in local raw milk production. “The latest milk production figures for August 2015 show a steady increase of 4% over July 2015, a general trend since February 2015. A year-on-year comparison shows a marginal increase in milk production of 3.4% from January to August.”
Milk processors in Zimbabwe have made huge investments into new processing equipment (Dairiboard Steri plant in Chipinge, DenDairy UHT factory in Kwekwe, Alpha Omega UHT and ice-cream equipment in Mazowe, Nestle has also commissioned new equipment) which upped the sector’s capacity utilization eventually pushing down imports.
Zimbabwe is one of the countries with a modernized diary industry in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) although it is still importing some dairy products from countries such as South Africa to supplement domestic supply.
Other countries with sophisticated dairy industry include Zambia and Malawi. Small holder farmers are the major players in some SADC member states, Zimbabwe included, where dairy farming is also a source of livelihood communal farmers.
