News / Local
Mat'Land farmers to demonstrate against minister Zhanda
19 Jul 2016 at 08:10hrs | Views
Livestock farmers in Matabeleland are planning to hold a demonstration against Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister responsible for livestock Paddy Zhanda who is widely blamed for destroying livestock sector in the region.
Zhanda's decision to close cattle sales under the pretext of decentralising livestock sales has angered farmers.
Zhanda says decentralisation is part of measures to contain spread of foot and mouth disease.
Farmers say "cattle farming is a business and must be treated as such. It is not a hobby. It is our livelihood".
Bulawayo24.com understands that prices at decentralised sales are as low as $1 per kg for commercial.
This is forcing rural farmers to sell to middlemen at give away prices.
"Middlemen put a mark up and deliver the beasts to abattoirs who then make a killing. Meat prices on the market are firm but cattle prices have gone down by up to 40 percent".
Last week, Zhanda told farmers in Nkayi that he condemns the centralisation of cattle sales and said going forward the Government would not allow cattle buyers to transport beasts from districts to urban centres for slaughter.
"This willy-nilly movement of cattle across the country from remote areas to towns is fuelling the spread of foot and mouth disease.
"Cattle should be fattened and slaughtered here in Nkayi and be transported anywhere as meat," said Zhanda.
However, farmers say they are fed up with Zhanda.
"We want Zhanda to leave market forces to determine prices and for farmers to have choice which auctions we take our cattle too. Sadly, in his Mashonaland West and other provinces he has not closed centralised sales".
"This is not the first time to have an FMD outbreak and it has never been managed this way.
"We believe there are corrupt influential people who are behind this so as to loot cattle in Matabeleland cheaply.
"We are even contemplating holding a public demonstration because Zhanda and the farmers' association leaders seem to be conniving."
The first case of FMD in the country was clinically detected on 16 August 2000 in a cattle feedlot in south-western Zimbabwe.
Over the past few months FMD has reported spread to most parts of Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and South provinces.
The spread has resulted in the Government banning the movement of cattle especially in areas regarded as red zones.
This has also resulted in the suspension of Bulawayo's most popular cattle auctions at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds.
The Veterinary Department has previously noted that about 2,5 million of the country's cattle were in danger of being affected by FMD and more than $20 million was needed to vaccinate the animals mostly in the southern parts of the country.
Zhanda's decision to close cattle sales under the pretext of decentralising livestock sales has angered farmers.
Zhanda says decentralisation is part of measures to contain spread of foot and mouth disease.
Farmers say "cattle farming is a business and must be treated as such. It is not a hobby. It is our livelihood".
Bulawayo24.com understands that prices at decentralised sales are as low as $1 per kg for commercial.
This is forcing rural farmers to sell to middlemen at give away prices.
"Middlemen put a mark up and deliver the beasts to abattoirs who then make a killing. Meat prices on the market are firm but cattle prices have gone down by up to 40 percent".
Last week, Zhanda told farmers in Nkayi that he condemns the centralisation of cattle sales and said going forward the Government would not allow cattle buyers to transport beasts from districts to urban centres for slaughter.
"This willy-nilly movement of cattle across the country from remote areas to towns is fuelling the spread of foot and mouth disease.
"Cattle should be fattened and slaughtered here in Nkayi and be transported anywhere as meat," said Zhanda.
However, farmers say they are fed up with Zhanda.
"We want Zhanda to leave market forces to determine prices and for farmers to have choice which auctions we take our cattle too. Sadly, in his Mashonaland West and other provinces he has not closed centralised sales".
"This is not the first time to have an FMD outbreak and it has never been managed this way.
"We believe there are corrupt influential people who are behind this so as to loot cattle in Matabeleland cheaply.
"We are even contemplating holding a public demonstration because Zhanda and the farmers' association leaders seem to be conniving."
The first case of FMD in the country was clinically detected on 16 August 2000 in a cattle feedlot in south-western Zimbabwe.
Over the past few months FMD has reported spread to most parts of Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and South provinces.
The spread has resulted in the Government banning the movement of cattle especially in areas regarded as red zones.
This has also resulted in the suspension of Bulawayo's most popular cattle auctions at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds.
The Veterinary Department has previously noted that about 2,5 million of the country's cattle were in danger of being affected by FMD and more than $20 million was needed to vaccinate the animals mostly in the southern parts of the country.
Source - Byo24News
