Poultry sector rebounds

ZIMBABWE’S poultry sector registered a 42% growth during the third quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, after producing an average of 19,5 million day-old-chicks (DoCs), according to Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA) chairman Solomon Zawe.

However, a quarterly average production of 6,5 million chicks per month was insufficient to meet resurgent demand after government lifted some COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, allowing improved movement of people and resumption of business operations.

“The critical shortage of day-old-chicks experienced during (third quarter) Q3 in 2020 due to destocking of breeding stock at the height of the lockdown restrictions have been exacerbated by export restrictions from Zambia and Malawi,” Zawe said in the sector’s latest industry newsletter.

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