Harare, (New Ziana) –Zimbabwe on Wednesday launched the Dairy Value Chain Competitiveness Report, a comprehensive document that outlines the current state of the sector in the country.
Compiled by the National Competitiveness Commission, the report provides a comprehensive framework for enhancing the industry competitiveness as well as promoting inclusive growth and development.
The Director responsible for Strategic Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Vavariro Kwaramba, launched the report in Harare on Tuesday.
She said the dairy industry is a vital node in Zimbabwe’s agro-processing value chains. “It is central to achieving our goals of food and nutrition security, job creation, increased industrial productivity, and equal substitution. The sector supports over 30 000 jobs directly,” she said.
The report highlights several challenges facing the dairy industry, including regulatory barriers, high production costs, and limited access to finance. The sector is encumbered by over 26 permits and numerous uncoordinated regulatory requirements, which push up the cost of doing business.
“Over 1 000 small-scale farmers produce less than 200 litres per day, yet they face disproportionately high compliance costs, making any regulatory increase unfeasible. Another concern is energy and infrastructure, as power instability continues to compromise both the quality of dairy products and processing,” Kwaramba said.
The report also notes that feed accounts for nearly 80 percent of dairy production costs. The Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan (ZIRGP) supports import substitution strategies, including the food procurement initiative and on-farm feed production.
“We call on farmers to partner with innovation hubs to scale solutions such as hydroponic fodder and drought-resistant forage crops,” said Kwaramba.
The report emphasizes the need for support for small and medium producers, who face disproportionate compliance costs. National Competitiveness Commission (NCC) executive director Brighton Shayanewako highlighted the importance of the dairy value chain in the Zimbabwean economy.
“The dairy value chain is a key agro-processing value chain which is critical for the country. It is important in the sense that it supports food and nutrition security, employment creation,” he said.
According to Shayanewako, Zimbabwe has a milk deficit of 50 million litres, currently filled by imports from Mozambique, which is cow or raw milk, as well as India and South Africa. Which is powdered.
New Ziana
