Zimbabwe sets off to export 30 tons of beef monthly to DRC
ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe is set to commence beef exports to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in September with cattle farmers expected to bulk up their produce to meet the 30 tonnes required monthly.
According to Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) chief executive officer Mr Clever Isaya, AMA has grouped commercial livestock farmers into clusters with five groups having been established to date.
Each cluster will have more than 1 000 cattle. The purpose of these clusters is to amass slaughtered carcasses to sustain and ensure a constant supply of the required quantity of meat to the market.
“The country will start beef exports to DRC next month after recent engagements between local farmers and prospective customers. The market requires 30 tonnes of super and choice grade meat per month,” said the CEO.
“The beef cuts are retailing at prices between US$15 and US$20 per kilogramme in DRC and local suppliers have held discussions with their customers in DRC on the wholesale prices that have since emerged to be good.”
The opening of the DRC market will bring relief to local cattle farmers who have always been complaining that they are being short-changed by buyers who purchase their beasts at the third-tier grade of commercial beef irrespective of the animal’s body condition.
The export market requires the first two grades of super and choice.
Earlier this year, AMA, ZimTrade and farmers in the poultry, beef, horticulture and dairy value chains visited DRC intending to gather market intelligence and facilitate business-to-business engagements.
The main objectives of the business visit were to generate export orders, understand the market dynamics of DRC, create synergy opportunities and engage the Kinshasa market to understand its needs.
The delegation discovered that there was a huge opportunity for Zimbabwean products in light of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to promote intra-African trade.
It was informed that most of the beef products in the republic were imported from South Africa, Zambia, India, New Zealand and Belgium.
According to the ZimTrade mission report, prospective investors must be aware of beef market characteristics that require product differentiation and market segmentation.
“The Kinshasa market varies in nature and consists of high-income and low-income earners. These classes determine the price, quality, and quantity of products demanded by each market,” said the report.
“For the high-income market, price was not a major factor, as the focus is on quality and place. But the opposite can be said about the low-income market, which was price-sensitive and focusses on having more quantity from less spending.”
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