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Edgar Vhera Agriculture Specialist Writer

CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe is set to resume exporting beef and canned products in the first quarter of this year with its engineers already on the ground attending to veterinary issues that need to be sorted out before the exports can start.

This was revealed by CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe marketing executive Mr Isaiah Machingura during an interview to establish the country’s preparedness to once again start exporting beef to international destinations.

“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.

Mr Machingura said the country’s beef was the most sought after on the international markets, with even some African countries making enquiries about the product.

The country’s unique selling point is its high beef quality, which is a God-given trait. The cattle are produced from natural grazing on veld.

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

“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 Mr Machingura.

CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe consultant Mr 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 Mr Shoko.

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

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

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

At its peak, CSC used to handle up to 150 000 tonnes of beef and associated by-products annually and exported such to the EU.

Meanwhile Livestock Farmers Union chairman Mr Sifiso Sibanda yesterday said they were yet to see CSC coming on the ground.

“CSC should come to see livestock farmers and 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 Mr Sibanda.

The Government is operationalising the livestock recovery growth plan with the short-term target of increasing the country’s herd from the current 5,5 to 6 million by 2023 in a bid to meet national demand and curtail imports.