Beef exports to the EU set to resume

Zim Now Writer

CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe will, in the first quarter of this year resume beef and canned products exports and engineers are on the ground attending to veterinary issues prior to the start of exports, the company’s marketing executive, Isaiah Machingura has revealed.

Machingura said the country’s beef was the most sought-after on the international markets, and even some African countries because of its high beef quality, which draws from the fact that the cattle are produced from natural grazing on veld.

“Barring any further delays, we anticipate to resume our exports within the first quarter of this year. CSC has built a strong relationship with local farmers to ensure availability of enough cattle for slaughter. We are not only going to export beef but even canned products,” said Mr Machingura.

CSC has come up with a plan on feedlots and breeding strategies plan as the market dynamics require sustainable production.

“Among the breeding strategies being implemented is the one that seeks to increase dropping out from an average of three years in most communal areas to yearly,” said Machingura.

CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe consultant Reginald Shoko once said they were moving away from the former set up whereby farmers would just sell their cattle to CSC, get their money and go.

“Now, the whole idea is that if farmers put their cattle into CSC paddocks, they are paid their money upfront for whatever they charge. When cattle come in for slaughter after 60 or 90 days, farmers have the added advantage of value addition due to the benefits accruing from increased cattle weight exceeding the expense of keeping them,” said Shoko.

After 22 years of closure, CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe re-opened on August 18, owing to the influence of the Agriculture and Foods Systems Transformation Strategy.

CSC, the country’s largest beef processor and marketer, used to have an annual quota of beef exports of 9 100 tonnes to the European Union.

The parastatal fell on hard times from 2000 owing to a myriad challenges, among them, inadequate working capital, cattle diseases, decline in the commercial herd, huge foreign debt, high staff turnover and an obsolete transport fleet.

The parastatal used to handle up to 150 000 tonnes of beef and associated by-products annually and exported such to the EU.

Livestock Farmers Union chairman, Sifiso Sibanda said they were keen to have CSC coming to see livestock farmers.

“I need them to tell us where they are getting cattle from, that is, the auctions and calendar they are using, their asking price, bids from the last auction and dates for the next national auction,” said Sibanda.