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Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S annual raw milk production increased by 14 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year mainly due to an improved dairy herd.

Statistics from the Dairy Services Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development show that milk production for the period under review stood at 65,4 million litres, up from 57,5 million litres in 2015.

During the period under review, the intake of raw milk for processing was up 17 percent from 50,4 million litres in the  prior comparable period to 58,8 million litres.

Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) national chairman, Mr Emmanuel Zimbandu, told Business Chronicle that the increase was driven by an increase in the dairy herd.

“The increase in milk output was by and large as a result of an increase in the dairy herd, the growth in the heifer importation scheme and also the availability of stock feeds for the dairy cows,” said Mr Zimbandu.

He added that with the incessant rains being experienced in the country, milk output for 2017 was also projected to improve as there will be enough fodder for the dairy herd.

However, producers retailed 7,6 percent less milk in the period under review than the comparable period.

In 2015, a total of 7,1 million litres were retailed by producers and the number went down to 6,6 million litres last year.

On a month-on-month basis, production for December went up to 9,8 percent to 5,8 million litres from 5,3 million litres in December 2015.

Over the years, Zimbabwe has been failing to meet its milk production targets since 2009 when it drastically dropped to 12 million litres.

In 2014 milk output stood at 55,4 million.

At its peak in 1999, Zimbabwe produced over 150 million litres of milk and was exporting into the region and beyond.

The low supply of raw milk is contributing to the high import bill as dairy companies import whole powdered milk to supplement.