Mafuro Farming seeks to increase raw milk production

Diversified industrial conglomerate Innscor Africa Limited’s Mafuro Farming wants to increase its raw milk production to meet not just the country’s demand but that of the region as well and in the process cutting Zimbabwe’s reliance on imported powder milk.

Mafuro Farming is an innovative dairy business operating on three farms, two of which are located in Marondera and the third in Kwekwe.

It runs on a pasture-based system where perennial pastures, legumes and cereals are grown thereby producing most of the animals’ feed on farms.

The unit supplies Prodairy’s Ruwa-based processing plant with raw milk.

In its 2023 annual report, the group said the Kwekwe farm started operating in April this year and has a total herd of 2 230 cows of which almost 50 percent of these cows have reached milking age.

The report further states that the number of animals in milk increased by 16,8 percent during the year.

Milk volumes are up by eight percent in the period under review.

“Having recently concluded the investment activity for the East Range dairy, the business is ready to focus on business optimisation in the forthcoming year.

“Efforts have hugely been directed on operationalising the farm in order to achieve its target production capacity and unlocking economies of scale,” reads part of the report.

Given the set up at the Kwekwe farm, the firm notes that management is consciously aiming at driving the business towards adoption and implementation of the right mindset and efficient farming practices.

“The company’s ultimate goal is to supply the country and the region with raw milk thereby cutting reliance on imported milk powder.”

Mafuro’s herd consists of cross-breeds, Jersey and Holstein breeds.

Holstein breeds

“The business takes the big structure of the Holstein that produces large volumes of milk while crossing with the Jersey cow which enables the production of a very high standard of butterfat milk quality. These cows are in their natural environment on pastures and operate on a free-range model that is sustainable for the growth and development of the milk herd industry in Zimbabwe.”

Riding on enhanced support from Government policies and deliberate strategies to revamp the agriculture value chain on the main, dairy farmers increased output to 91 million litres in 2022, up from 79,9 million litres recorded in the previous year.

In Zimbabwe, dairy production and development support has seen the sector contributing well to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal number 2, which seeks to end world hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture in line with Government’s Vision 2030, which targets to achieve an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society.

In the Matabeleland region, dairy production is immensely contributing to the national vision and is in line with the Government’s key economic development blueprints.

The company report adds that total investment in the dairy farm capacity expansion amounted to approximately US$5,24 million between 2022 and 2023.

Mafuro has established and maintained a partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe through relations with Grasslands Research Institute where Mafuro’s dairy venture began.

According to the report, in recent engagements with the Research Institute, Mafuro has taken note of the average age of a dairy farmer which is 63 years and realises the need to mitigate this growing concern.

“Therefore, the company is looking to expand into training young and aspiring youths through the establishment of a dairy training school and creation of outgrower programmes. By so doing, sustainable opportunities for the dairy industry are created.”-chronicle