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Nqobile Bhebhe-Bulawayo Bureau

A Bulawayo-based livestock chemicals manufacturing firm, Coppers Zimbabwe, has been commended by the Government for playing a pivotal role in anchoring the local and regional livestock production value chain by supplying critical chemicals to ensure the growth of the sector.

Coppers Zimbabwe has been operating in the country since 1913 and supplies Masvingo, Midlands, and Matabeleland North and South provinces with a range of chemical products for livestock.

The firm is big in exports as it supplies Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, and South Africa with a focus on going international.

With such capacity, the Government has expressed eagerness to partner with competent private sector players to secure the health of the country’s livestock.

Government’s trust to partner with the private sector comes after several smallholder farmers recently lost scores of cattle due to the January Disease outbreak.

The challenge has prompted the Government through the Veterinary Services Department to scale up stakeholder awareness campaigns across the country while increasing budgetary allocations for dipping programmes.

Government has since launched a “War against January Disease” campaign aimed at capacitating farmers to preserve their herds. Small-scale farmers and villagers from Matabeleland South province are among the worst affected after losing hundreds of cattle to theileriosis.

Matabeleland North is still safe from the January disease as it has not recorded a single case since 2017. Experts say theileriosis is a tick-borne disease caused by a blood protozoan parasite, theileria. The disease accounts for 60 percent of cattle deaths in the country, thereby causing huge economic losses.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Davis Marapira, yesterday toured the Coppers Zimbabwe factory in Belmont and expressed Government’s willingness to partner with the private sector.

He said Coppers Zimbabwe has demonstrated that higher and adequate capacity to provide critical chemicals.

“My visit to Coppers Zimbabwe has reflected that it is easy to do away with tick-borne diseases, that means if the Government works together with the private sector, especially competent private sector players such as Coppers Zimbabwe it is possible,” said Deputy Minister Marapira.

He admitted that the country has in recent years lost a significant number of livestock but said a robust plan has been crafted this year to drastically reduce the number of deaths.

“Yes, we have lost a lot of cattle in the last four years, I am happy to say this year we have come up with serious plans to eradicate January Disease and everyone is working flat out to make sure that we do away with the disease,” he said.

“I am pleased to announce that we have enough dipping chemicals, which will take us into the next five months.”

Deputy Minister Marapira also paid tribute to Coppers Zimbabwe for its solid export drive, which has vast potential of earning the country foreign currency.

“I would like to thank the vision of Coppers Zimbabwe as it is looking towards the export market. I understand it is now doing toll manufacturing for South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and now focusing on Uganda and very soon you will go international,” he said.

“That means more employment would be created and generate more foreign currency for the country and hence market Zimbabwe internationally.”

Deputy Minister Marapira said Government remains committed to growing the national herd as the county has conducive climatic conditions when compared to other regional countries.

“As Government, we commit ourselves to work more seriously on the resuscitation of our national herd. I am not happy to always say Zimbabwe has five million cattle,” he said.

“The five million should grow and there should be production. If we compare ourselves with other regional countries such as Uganda and Tanzania, they have over 50 million cattle.

“South Africa has more cattle than us but we have the best climate conditions and the best pastures. 

“That means we have to grow our herd, but that can be possible if we work hand in hand with the private sector as we are doing with Coppers Zimbabwe.”

Chief director in the Veterinary Services Department, Dr Josphat Nyika, also applauded Coppers Zimbabwe’s contribution to livestock development.

He said chemicals produced by Coppers Zimbabwe are very effective and are provided in sufficient quantities.

“The factory has grown in terms of capacity and quality to the extent that they are even producing for the export market. 

“Coppers Zimbabwe is answering directly to the National Development Strategy 1 objectives. They have supported the livestock sector for many years,” said Dr Nyika.

“We applaud the Second Republic for supporting the Department of Veterinary Services. We have enough dipping chemicals in our stocks to last us throughout the rainy season.”

To demonstrate the firm’s production capacity to supply the local and export demand, an official at the factory who only identified himself as Mr Jerry said the firm has been certified by the Uganda National Drug Authority, which allows them to kick-start exports of veterinary products there.

“We have submitted a tender with the veterinary department for a large quantity in the region of 230 metric tonnes,” he said.

 “We are waiting for the results. Those quantities are large and are within our current capacity, so we will be busy in the next 12 months.”

Mr Jerry would not be drawn to elaborate more on the company.