Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister Responsible for Livestock Cde Paddy Zhanda has challenged the private sector to produce its own inputs instead of blaming Government for shortages.

He was responding to presentations by dairy farmers at the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers; annual general meeting held in Harare recently.

The farmers complained that the sector was facing viability challenges as stockfeed was in short supply locally and relied on imports.

Cde Zhanda said he did not agree that Government was behind all the challenges being faced in the agriculture sector.

“There is no short-term therapy for the economy. We should localise production. I do not believe or share any view that it is the responsibility of Government to grow maize or grow wheat for the private sector.

“As Government we have acknowledged and accepted the idea of contract farming. The industry can contract farmers to grow inputs on their behalf. We should localise production and stop this haemorrhaging. The dairy sector cannot be immune to the economic challenges. Our exports are $4 billion and our import bill stands at $8,7 billion.

“I agree that the cost of money is high and short term, but we cannot blame Government. Let us do way with the blame game. Government does not own banks. Unless we address local production we will continue to have problems,” he said.

Some dairy farmers appealed for exemption from duty on packaging material as it was not available locally.

Cde Zhanda said Government had no intention of reducing duty and argued that the challenge could be taken as an opportunity for local manufactures to make the packaging material locally.

“This creates opportunities for investment. Some people can manufacture the packaging material and seek protection from imports.

“Government has no intention to reduce duty. Local business people can manufacture the packaging material and make money,” he said.

He said Government had come up with the Dairy Revitalisation Programme to localise production.

This would see the country acquiring 4 000 heifers which would lead to an increase in breeding and multiplication of dairy herd among other things.

Cde Zhanda also advised farmers to resort to sustainable use of resources to maximise returns.

“Some farmers are bad users of land and water. They waste water and this increases production costs. We recently had El Nino and we must quickly adapt to new methods of water harvesting and usage. Climate change is upon us and we cannot go back to the old days.

“We should revise ways of doing things to ensure projects are meaningful to our people,” he said.packaging material locally.

“This creates opportunities for investment. Some people can manufacture the packaging material and seek protection from imports.

“Government has no intention to reduce duty. Local business people can manufacture the packaging material and make money,” he said.

He said Government had come up with the Dairy Revitalisation Programme to localise production.

This would see the country acquiring 4 000 heifers which would lead to an increase in breeding and multiplication of dairy herd among other things.

Cde Zhanda also advised farmers to resort to sustainable use of resources to maximise returns.

“Some farmers are bad users of land and water. They waste water and this increases production costs. We recently had El Nino and we must quickly adapt to new methods of water harvesting and usage. Climate change is upon us and we cannot go back to the old days.

“We should revise ways of doing things to ensure projects are meaningful to our people,” he said.

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