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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter 

TREASURY has said an estimated 5 000 cattle succumbed to drought-related deaths countrywide between January and April this year and more are likely to die in the coming months.

In its First Quarter Treasury Bulletin Highlights, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development said the drought may result in the death of more livestock.

“As at first quarter of 2019, the national herd of cattle was estimated at 5,7 million of which the national dairy herd was at 38 201. However, the stock is under threat from drought, outbreak of diseases compounded by high cost of feed stocks and vaccines. Already, over 5 000 cattle were lost to drought-related deaths,” it said.

“This, worsened by a decline in aggregate demand resulted in a slight decline of cattle slaughters during the 2019 first quarter to 57 677 from 58 170 recorded in the fourth quarter of 2018.This is also significantly below 66 753 recorded in the same period last year.”

Experts have urged cattle farmers to consider destocking to curb incurring huge losses.

Treasury said milk production also dropped by eight percent in the period under review.

It said between January and April 2019 milk production dropped to 19,4 million litres from 21 million litres recorded between September and December last year.

Treasury said it is inevitable for Government to import maize due to subdued yields as a result of the poor 2018/19 rainfall season.

Last month, Government revealed that it will import 700 000 tonnes of maize to supplement national stocks following poor yields in the 2018/19 rainy season.—@nqotshili.