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Sukulwenkosi Dube, Plumtree Correspondent
SOME villagers are falling victim to unscrupulous private cattle buyers who are taking advantage of the drought situation to buy livestock at give away prices.

Traditional leaders from Bulilima and Mangwe districts said they had received several reports on the presence of buyers who were taking advantage of farmers in their areas.

Headman Hikwa of Bulilima District said some villagers in her area had sold their cattle for as little as $100 per beast instead of the expected $500.

“The private buyers are now taking advantage of the drought situation and the desperation of villagers.

They advise community members to sell at a low price, saying if they don’t then the cattle will eventually deteriorate because of drought,’’ she said.

Headman Hikwa said villagers’ crops were a write-off, leaving livestock as their only wealth.

Chief Tshitshi from Mangwe District said some cattle were going for $50 or less per beast and such trade practices left farmers poorer.
Bulilima Farmers’ Association chairperson Obert Sibanda said there was need for communal farmers to consider supplementary feeding.

“It’s important for villagers to adopt supplementary feeding.

Instead of watching their cattle deteriorate by the day they can sell one beast and then use the money to buy supplementary feeds to sustain the other animals,” he said.

“Cattle are a major source of income for many people in Matabeleland and there’s need to ensure that they’re maintained well. There’s no reason why cattle can die one after the other under the watch of a farmer.”

Recently, Bulilima Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, John Brown Ncube, said council was working to control the activities of private buyers who were holding sales without informing relevant authorities.

He said the local authority was losing funds as private buyers were not paying levies.