Milk production hits 15.5m litres

SUKOLUHLE NDLOVU IN GWERU

Dairy Services Zimbabwe says milk production in the Midlands Province has reached 15.5m litres in the nine months to September this year.

In an interview with The Business Times, Dairy Services Zimbabwe’s regional dairy officer, Virimai Madzivire said the province has contributed 20% to the national milk volume.

“Our milk production this year went up after it had dropped due to Covid-19 pandemic which affected day to day operations. Up to September, the Midlands Province has produced 15.5m litres of milk. We are very happy with the production so far and we hope to increase it as we are embarking on various measures to do so,” Madzivire told Business Times.

He said the province’s herd stood at 9000.

“Currently the provincial herd stands at about 9000 hence the amount of milk we produced,” Madzivire said.

He said they will soon embark on various ways to increase the provincial dairy herd.

“We will soon start artificial insemination to increase the provincial herd thereby increase production capacity. This development will improve breed and also increase milk production from 10 litres to 15 litres of milk per day per cow,” he said.

Last year the Dairy Services Zimbabwe sourced 200 heifer from South Africa to boost milk production.