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Edgar Vhera

Agriculture Specialist Writer

Live poultry export earnings have increased by 20 percent to US$1 million from January to June this year against US$900 000 at the corresponding period last year.

Statistics from Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) show that live poultry exports rose to US$1 045 675 from January to June this year against US$870 532 at the comparable time period last year.

In mass terms live poultry exports increased nine percent from 20 624 to 22 437 kilogrammes while the average price also rose 10 percent from US$42 to US$47 per kilogramme.

The country exports two types of live poultry; those weighing more or less than 185 grammes.

Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC) administrator Dr Reneth Mano said live poultry of weight less than 185 grammes were parent breeder chicks that are exported by Irvine’s Zimbabwe. 

“Irvine’s Zimbabwe is the only company in the country with franchise for Cobb 500 parent stock genetics to supply to Cobb 500 parent chicks to breeder companies in Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region,” he said.

LMAC administrator Dr Chrispen Sukume affirmed that this was expected and said the trend will continue further as the poultry sector has been on a sustained growth since the 2010 period when the country was importing its poultry meat requirements from outside the country.

“The witnessed increase is through breeder birds that are used to produce eggs for day old chicks. The capacity of the country to export is a clear demonstration that we are now self-sufficient. The poultry sector is among the top growing sector in the agriculture sector and has seen increase production of stock feeds and meat. Because of the increased demand for poultry meat most companies have been responding to that by expanding production,” he said.

Irvine’s Zimbabwe chief executive Mr David Irvine said he was not privy to the actual statistics of live poultry exports as that domain lies under the armpit of the Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA).

He, however, said that Irvine’s Zimbabwe mainly exports two types of poultry products regionally.

“We export layer pullet chicks for laying eggs mainly to Mozambique though not too sure about the quantities. We also export broiler parents to countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC),” he said.

Mr Irvine said if there was any increase in poultry exports then definitely it was in broiler parents as demand for layers have stagnated, if not declined this year.

In 2020, the Government approved the Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan (2021-2026), whose main thrust is to put in place solid interventions to address livestock production and productivity issues required for a good foundation for the livestock sector to assume its prominent role in transforming farmers’ livelihoods and providing the required raw materials for agriculture-led industrial development, among others.