Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Anxious Masuka, has urged communal farmers to desist from selling their livestock at giveaway prices because of dwindling pastures caused by the El Nino-induced drought.
As reported by NewZimbabwe.com, Masuka was responding to questions that had been raised by legislators during the Question and Answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
He said the government was aware that farmers were “de-stocking” after the number of cattle sold in Matabeleland South from January to February 2024 has risen by 43%. Said Masuka:
In different places, we have observed that farmers are busy 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.
As the relevant Ministry, we urge farmers to stop rushing to sell their livestock. They should only sell those old oxen and cows.
The heifers and other young cows, we should keep them in stock so that we can use artificial insemination to ensure that we have pastures for the calves so that they cannot sell their cattle.
Spencer Tshuma, the Gokwe-Kabuyuni MP (ZANU PF) had also asked what the Government was doing given that most communal farmers when faced with hunger sell their livestock for survival.
Tshuma wanted to know what help they could get considering that livestock movement is banned in some areas. Said Masuka:
The Government has put in place, together with the Ministry headed by Minister July Moyo, a programme to ensure that all households countrywide are provided with adequate foodstuffs until next year.
We only allow the movement of livestock once the period of the ban has expired because if we allow this, we may fail to contain the disease.
Reports suggest that farmers are struggling to sell their livestock. Minister Masuka said the Government is currently trying to revive a programme under which market days will be published.
The programme was formerly run by the Cold Storage Commission (CSC) but has since collapsed. Said Masuka:
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.
The shortage of pastures and poor crop yields due to drought are some of the factors driving communal farmers to sell their cattle, not only to avoid losses as the animals may succumb to hunger but also to raise money for food and other necessities.
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