By ETimes
Zimbabwe’s raw milk production in the first 9 months to September rose 16% to 66.84 million litres from the 57.6 million litres recorded in the comparable period last year, official data shows.
Milk production has been increasing as more farmers join the dairy industry and the herd has been supplemented with imported heifers.
Latest figures from the Ministry of Agriculture’s dairy services department show that milk intake by processors rose 15% to 60.24 million litres from 52.49 million litres in the comparative period.
Producers’ retailed milk increased by 29% to 6.6 million litres from 5.1 million litres the previous year.
On a monthly basis, the southern African nation requires about 10 million litres. But it is failing to reach it. To meet demand, the country has to import milk powders.
September milk output rose 12.27% to 7.83 million litres compared to 6.98 million litres in the same period last year.
So far, the month of July has produced the most at 7.84 million litres.
Dairy farmers produced 79.6 million litres in 2021, representing a 4% increase from the 76.69 million litres produced in 2020 – Harare