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Elton Manguwo

THE Cold Storage Company (CSC), now CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe returned to bully the market after a two-decade hiatus with cattle slaughter charges in and around Bulawayo dropping by a whopping 400 percent from US$75 to an average of U$15 per beast.

“Slaughtering fees for abattoirs situated in and around Bulawayo were hovering around US$75 but most service providers have since been forced to push down prices over the last few weeks as the beef value chain giant, CSC-Boustead Beef Zimbabwe returned to takes its place in the market,” a consultant with the company, Mr Reginald Shoko observed on Tuesday.

The drop in slaughtering charges is pivotal in developing the beef value chain back to yesteryear glory with farmers getting the full value from their cattle rearing activities.

Government has also helped the situation by calling for the remodelling of the cattle auction marketing system to enable smallholder farmers to realise and unlock full value from their cattle.

Despite the company’s low profile marketing campaigns around cattle slaughtering services, Mr Shoko highlighted how they had seen a significant improvement in cattle deliveries for slaughter from the total 200 beasts that are slaughtered by various abattoirs in Bulawayo per day.

“We have a significant market share now,” Mr Shoko said underlining how their slaughtering services had helped improve revenue for farmers.

Independent business advisor and livestock value chain financier, Mr Morris Mpala concurred with Mr Shoko saying the price drop was important to smallholder farmers who are seeking to maximise on the profits generated from selling their livestock.

Furthermore, the idea of farmers accessing services at affordable rates augers well for the resuscitation of the country’s beef cattle value chain as it moves towards full commercialisation that will see farmers improving their livelihoods.

Small-scale farmers own 90 percent of Zimbabwe’s herd, which makes it vital for them to adopt smart business practices to give impetus to the country’s march towards achieving a middle income economy by 2030 as well as improve and boost domestic supplies of beef.

“The company is setting up commercially run feedlots franchises in CSC-Boustead beef feedlots that are already in existence. Farmers bring their cattle for a 120-day pen fattening period to aide in beef quality and quantity while CSC-Boustead Beef will be the exclusive buyer at competitive prices,” said Mr Mpala.

He added: “It is hard work that requires patience but these baby steps are commendable for this value chain.”

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