Mat South cattle sales jump up 43% as drought bite...

Mat South cattle sales jump up 43% as drought bites

Zim Now Writer

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr. Anxious Masuka has said communal farmers are de-stocking as El Nino-induced drought ravages the country.

“In different places, we have observed that farmers are busy now de-stocking because they are worried about the quantities of the feed that they have, for instance in Matabeleland South, the cattle that were sold from January to February ... we observed that the quantities have gone up by 43%.

“So, the majority are selling their cattle,” the minister said during the Question and Answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

“As the relevant Ministry, we urge farmers to stop rushing to sell their livestock. They should only sell those old oxen and cows," said Dr Masuka.

Legislator for Shamva South Constituency, Joseph Mapiki had asked what measures the government has in place to ensure that there are cattle sales locally in light of disease outbreaks.

Spencer Tshuma of Gokwe-Kabuyuni Constituency weighed in, asking what was being done since most communal farmers sell their livestock for survival when faced with hunger.

He wanted to know the kind of help they could get since livestock movement is banned in some areas.

Dr Masuka said bans remain effective but government is looking at mitigation.

“We only allow movement of livestock once the period of the ban has expired because if we allow this, we may fail to contain the disease,” he said.

Masuka said the government is currently trying to revive a programme, which used to be run by the Cold Storage Company, under which market days will be published but had collapsed.

Dr Masuka said the arrangement is now under the district councils.

“We are in the process of trying to revive such activities so that farmers can be able to buy and sell cattle. We have allowed the Agricultural Marketing Authority to do that process.”