Milk Output Up 7% in First Five Months

By ETimes

HARARE – DAIRY farmers produced 50.77 million litres of milk in the first five months of 2026, representing a 7% increase from the same period last year, according to the latest data from the Agriculture Ministry’s Dairy Services Department.

This growth is attributed to water availability, improved pastures, and stock feeds. Farmers are also starting to reap the benefits of extension services from the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF), government extension workers, the private sector, and improvements in their own farm management.

In the comparable period last year, the country’s milk output stood at 47.37 million litres.

In the review period, latest figures show that milk intake by processors rose 7% to 46.86 million litres, compared to 43.63 million litres in the previous period.

Retail milk production also increased by 5%, reaching 3.91 million litres, up from 3.74 million litres in the comparable period.

According to ZADF, the current average producer price is approximately US$0.68 per litre. However, this highlights a widening gap between the producer price and the retail market price, which poses a significant challenge to farmers.

Meanwhile, the ZADF is expected to hold its annual general meeting on 22 July, where players in the dairy sector will discuss issues affecting the industry, progress made so far and strategies for achieving national self-sufficiency in milk production.