ZIMBABWE – Live poultry exports in Zimbabwe have soared by 20%, reaching a total earning of US$1 million during the first half of this year, compared to US$900,000 in the same period last year, according to data released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats).
This surge in poultry exports reflects a promising trend in the country’s poultry industry marking a remarkable boost to Zimbabwe’s agricultural landscape.
The statistics provided by ZimStats revealed that live poultry exports have surged to US$1.04 million from January to June this year, a substantial increase from the US$870,532 recorded during the corresponding period last year.
Notably, in terms of mass, live poultry exports have surged by 9%, rising from 20,624 kilograms to 22,437 kilograms, while the average price per kilogram saw a 10% increase, rising from US$42 to US$47.
According to Dr. Reneth Mano, the administrator of the Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC), Zimbabwe’s live poultry exports are categorized into two groups, poultry weighing more or less than 185 grams.
He shed light on the distinction, explaining that poultry weighing less than 185 grams consists mainly of parent breeder chicks, which are exported by Irvine’s Zimbabwe.
Irvine’s Zimbabwe holds the exclusive franchise for Cobb 500 parent stock genetics, supplying parent chicks to breeder companies in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region.
Dr. Chrispen Sukume, another LMAC administrator, emphasized that this growth was anticipated and will likely continue as the poultry sector has been on a sustained upward trajectory since 2010 when Zimbabwe was reliant on poultry meat imports.
“The observed increase is attributed to breeder birds used for egg production, highlighting the nation’s self-sufficiency,” he stated,
“The poultry sector is one of the fastest-growing segments in agriculture, leading to increased production of stock feeds and meat. To meet the surging demand for poultry meat, companies have been expanding their production capacity.”
Mr. David Irvine, Chief Executive of Irvine’s Zimbabwe, acknowledged their pivotal role in poultry exports, noting that they primarily export two types of poultry products within the region.
“We export layer pullet chicks for egg-laying, mainly to Mozambique, although specific quantities are not available. Additionally, we export broiler parents to countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC),” he revealed.
This robust growth in live poultry exports aligns with the Zimbabwean government’s strategic Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan (2021-2026), which was approved in 2020.
The plan aims to implement robust interventions to address issues related to livestock production and productivity, providing a solid foundation for the livestock sector to play a prominent role in improving farmers’ livelihoods and supplying essential raw materials for agriculture-led industrial development.
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