Poultry smallholders boost production in Zimbabwe

The poultry industry in Zimbabwe has experienced significant growth over the past four years due to the increase in smallholder production, the country’s Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Joseph Made announced.

Broiler production has grown by more than 500% while egg production grew by 300%, the Minister reported in a speech read at a recent symposium in Harare. “Small to medium scale producers now account for two-thirds of the broiler producers and nearly half of the egg producers,” he said.

Minister Made said the poultry and pig industries have contributed meaningfully to the Gross Domestic Product. Direct contributions from poultry and pig production to the GDP in 2012, Minister Made said were US$357 million and US$39 million respectively.

“Also close to 82% of all stockfeeds produced in the country are consumed in the poultry and pig industries making the combined two subsectors the mainstay of the feed industry,” he said.

Despite the achievements, the Minister acknowledged that the industries were now facing challenges that could affect production, notably the increase in price of maize and soyameal, the key feed ingredients.

Source: AllAfrica