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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
Masvingo cattle farmers have hailed Government’s decision to unveil the $440 million Command Livestock programme, which they said will boost the country’s foreign currency through increased beef exports. Last week, Cabinet approved a comprehensive special agricultural package amounting to $440 million for livestock, fisheries and wildlife production. About half the amount, $200 million, will be reserved for the beef and dairy sectors.

Masvingo Beef Farmers’ Association provincial chairman, Mr Robert Makado, welcomed the move by Government and expressed optimism that the country will get the much needed foreign currency through exporting beef products. He called on the responsible ministry to apportion the money to cattle farmers according to their capacity to produce.

“As Masvingo farmers, we welcome such a good move by Government,” said Mr Makado. “Such investment has been long overdue. The money should be disbursed as a matter of urgency.” Mr Makado said cattle farmers in the province had the capacity to help in the resuscitation of the closed Cold Storage Commission in Masvingo city, once they got the much needed financial support.

“With such support of $200 million, which is shared between beef and dairy farmers, we have the capacity to produce meat that sustains the market,” he said. “This will trigger Government’s interest to start exporting beef once more, thereby raising the much needed foreign currency which is in short supply at the moment. Before the advent of foot and mouth disease that wiped out our herd in Masvingo, the province used to slaughter 1 700 cattle per year and 10 000 calves were born. This means we can sustain the Cold Storage Commission that slaughters an average of between 350 to 500 beasts per day.” Mr Makado said the fund should be disbursed according to the size of the herd per province, with regions that had more cattle like Masvingo and Matabeleland South deserving more funding.

“We have some regions where cattle farming does not thrive due to climatic conditions,” he said. “Although this funding will create interest from non-cattle provinces, provinces with more cattle should be given a priority. For example, we have Masvingo and Matabeleland South which are, naturally, cattle regions.” Masvingo has about 1,3 million cattle, while the national herd stands at about five million cattle. Government has said the package will have concessionary interest rates that do not exceed 4 percent. The programme will see the beef and dairy sectors being supported to the tune of $200 million, poultry to the tune of $42 million, goat and sheep $11 million and piggery $30 million.