ZIMBABWE – According to Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA), egg production in Zimbabwe increased by 35% to 12.6 million dozen of eggs in the third quarter of the year i.e July to September contributed majorly by small-scale producers.
Large-scale table egg production increased by 50% to 1.9 million dozen per month while small-scale table egg production increased by 8% to 2.3 million dozen per month, an increase of 25% over the third quarter of 2018.
Total egg production is estimated to have increased by 2% to 4.2 million dozen per month, an increase of 35% compared to last years production during the same period under review.
As of broiler hens, hatching egg production from local broiler breeders averaged 7.9 million per month in the period under review, being 3% lower than the second quarter of 2019, but 32% up on the third quarter of 2018.
The wholesale price of hatching table eggs has increased dramatically since March this year and in September it was $29,70 per tray of 30 eggs.
This led to a 28% drop in output after producing about 16.8 million broiler day-old chicks in the third quarter of the year, with players attributing the decline to high input costs.
Broiler day-old chick production averaged 5.6 million chicks per month, which is 20% to 28% lower than the second quarter of 2019 and third quarter of last year, respectively.
Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA) chairperson Solomon Zawe highlighted that chick prices continued to increase in the period under review and reached $5,51 per chick in September.
Dependence on imported hatching eggs declined dramatically by 63% to 355 000 dozen per month in the third quarter compared with the second quarter.
Total layer breeder stocks (growing and in-production) averaged 73 577 birds per month in the third quarter of 2019, a decrease of 2% compared to second quarter of this year, but an increase of 43% compared to prior figures, the highest since 2013.
Returns from large-scale processors revealed that the number of birds slaughtered and broiler meat produced declined by 3% in the third quarter of 2019, although the meat produced from this sector declined by 12% compared with the third quarter of 2018.
Small-scale broiler meat production estimated at 5 457 tonnes per month decreased by 36% compared to the same period last year.
Total meat produced was estimated at 8 728mt per month, 29% lower than in the third quarter of 2018.
Wholesale prices of whole bird and 2kg individually quick-frozen pieces in September were $27,42 and $25,21 per kg, respectively.
