The ManicaPost
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Senior Reporter
AN OUTBREAK of mastitis, a dairy cow disease, has put on hold Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited’s plans to import 225 000 litres of raw milk from Mozambican farmers to increase production at its plant in Chipinge.
Mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary gland and udder tissue, and is a major endemic disease of dairy cattle. It usually occurs as an immune response to bacterial invasion of the teat canal by variety of bacterial sources present on the farm, and can also occur as a result of chemical, mechanical, or thermal injury to the cow’s udder.
Government granted DZL a milk import permit allowing the company to import raw milk from Manica Province in Mozambique on March 29 this year.
The importation of milk from farmers in the neighbouring country is being facilitated under an initiative by Manicaland and Manica provinces to enhance cooperation between Zimbabwe and Mozambique at both the economic and political level.
Manicaland Provincial Administrator Mr Edgars Seenza this week said the herd that was targeted to provide milk to DZL was undergoing treatment hence the delays.
“Government finally issued a milk import permit on March 29, 2019. DZL was supposed to import 225 000 litres of milk per month beginning May 2019 and expected to double the amount three months later. But on March 15, cyclone Idai hit both Mozambique and Zimbabwe, effectively putting on hold all projects,” he said.
“The herd in Mozambique was affected by the cyclone. The farmers have advised that stress induced the mastitis, so the cows are currently undergoing treatment on antibiotics. This makes the milk unfit for consumption.”
Mr Seenza said once the cows had recovered, the company would start bringing in milk.
The milk from Mozambique is expected to be transported from Musiziri district in Manica into Chipinge via the Mt Selinda border post.
However, there have been concerns that the road from the border into Chipinge is in need of urgent rehabilitation as it is in bad state.
Mr Seenza earlier this year said Manicaland had engaged the Ministry of Transport to ensure that the road in rehabilitated.
However, more damage was inflicted on most roads in Chipinge and Chimanimani by cyclone Idai.
