Day-old chick shortage hits Bulawayo

Bulawayo's poultry sector is facing a shortage of day-old chicks, with some suppliers reportedly forcing smallholder farmers to purchase feed as a condition for accessing the birds. The scarcity, which usually peaks six weeks before Christmas, comes as farmers prepare for increased demand for chicken meat during the festive season.

Investigations by Zimpapers revealed that this year's seasonal shortage has been exacerbated by high production costs, prompting some breeders to impose unfair conditions on buyers. The Competition and Tariffs Commission has warned that such practices distort market competition and disadvantage small-scale farmers.

The Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA) attributed the shortage to rising costs associated with maintaining breeder chickens, which has led hatcheries to reduce stock levels. ZPA chairperson Tizai Faranisi explained that producing parent stock is expensive, with costs for raising a single breeding chicken to egg-laying age ranging between US$25 and US$28 per bird, including feed, vaccines, and other overheads.

"Because of these high costs, breeders are cautious about keeping too many breeding chickens, fearing losses if the market cannot absorb the resulting day-old chicks. They base their stock levels on average annual demand, making it difficult to scale up production solely for the three-month peak season," Faranisi said.

He added that demand typically peaks from September to mid-November, as broilers require five to six weeks to reach market weight of 1.8kg to 2kg. Farmers operating during this period often double their orders, but breeders cannot rapidly increase production due to the lifespan and growth cycle of broiler breeders.

Hamara, one of the major suppliers, indicated that the festive season rush is nearing its end, with most early bookings already fulfilled. "We have also included three-week-old birds to help our farmers who struggle with brooding during this wet and hot season, so that they too can have Christmas birds," said Hamara marketing manager Bridget Rungu.

Faranisi also highlighted that poor management practices contribute to high mortality rates among some farmers, particularly those attempting to cut costs. "How can we not want farmers to succeed when we are desperate for repeat business? Even keeping records is a problem," he remarked.

As demand continues to outpace supply, the poultry industry in Bulawayo faces significant pressure to balance production costs with market needs ahead of the festive season.