News / National
Villagers sell cattle at $20 each
08 Feb 2016 at 05:42hrs | Views
Some villager in the drought stricken areas of Zimbabwe are reported to be selling their starving cattle at between $20 and 30 in an effort to beast the drought risk of losing them through death.
This emerged during the seating seating last week when one senator A Sibanda questioned Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa over what the government was doing to take care of the remaining beasts.
"We are seeing at home beasts are dying and people are selling their beasts for $20 or $30, what steps are being taken by the government to take care of the remaining beasts? What action is the government prepared to take so as to avoid the death of all these beasts?" Sibanda asked.
Mnangagwa said what Sibanda asked refers to livestock that are dying due to lack of pastures and water.
"We have been informed that this is happening in most rural areas especially in Matebeleland South, Midland in the south, Masvingo and a few areas in Chipinge. We even have the number of livestock lost as a result of this. We have quite a number of measures in place such that if the Minister of agriculture had been available he would have done justice in enlightening the House on the measures," Mnangagwa responded.
"You asked that question as a Government we are not idle to the situation we are assisting. There is a measure that has been taken to inform people that if their livestock have been affected by the said issues, they can come and report in order to get assistance. We take some of the cattle so that in future if the situation improves they can be given other cattle as these will have been used. With some of the livestock we can give them stock feed for them to survive in these areas."
He said this is being done by the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Cold Storage Commission to ensure that we do not lose a lot of livestock.
"In other areas we safeguard the female livestock and ensure that these are fed whilst slaughtering the male. It is a pertinent measure ensuring that we can grow our national herd when the situation improves. It is an issue that is under debate in Cabinet," he said.
This emerged during the seating seating last week when one senator A Sibanda questioned Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa over what the government was doing to take care of the remaining beasts.
"We are seeing at home beasts are dying and people are selling their beasts for $20 or $30, what steps are being taken by the government to take care of the remaining beasts? What action is the government prepared to take so as to avoid the death of all these beasts?" Sibanda asked.
Mnangagwa said what Sibanda asked refers to livestock that are dying due to lack of pastures and water.
"We have been informed that this is happening in most rural areas especially in Matebeleland South, Midland in the south, Masvingo and a few areas in Chipinge. We even have the number of livestock lost as a result of this. We have quite a number of measures in place such that if the Minister of agriculture had been available he would have done justice in enlightening the House on the measures," Mnangagwa responded.
"You asked that question as a Government we are not idle to the situation we are assisting. There is a measure that has been taken to inform people that if their livestock have been affected by the said issues, they can come and report in order to get assistance. We take some of the cattle so that in future if the situation improves they can be given other cattle as these will have been used. With some of the livestock we can give them stock feed for them to survive in these areas."
He said this is being done by the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Cold Storage Commission to ensure that we do not lose a lot of livestock.
"In other areas we safeguard the female livestock and ensure that these are fed whilst slaughtering the male. It is a pertinent measure ensuring that we can grow our national herd when the situation improves. It is an issue that is under debate in Cabinet," he said.
Source - Byo24News
