ZIMBABWE'S second largest city, Bulawayo, will host the country’s first-ever rabbit meat expo next week as demand soars.

The event, which is being hosted by rabbit meat company Midesha Private Limited, will be held on November 19, 2022 at Mystique Event Centre.

Midesha is a corporate member of rabbit farmers lobby group, the Zimbabwe Commercial Rabbit Breeders Association (Zicorba), which has been promoting the production and consumption of rabbit meat in the country.

Midesha chairperson Siposethu Ncube-Moyo said the idea of the expo was to popularise the consumption of rabbit meat and to showcase the many ways of preparing the rodent, from traditional to fine-dining cuisines.

“We have seen a sharp rise in demand for rabbit meat mainly because of its numerous health benefits,” Ncube-Moyo, who is also the vice-president of Zicorba, told NewsDay Farming.

“The expo is meant to showcase the different ways of preparing rabbit meat ... We themed it The Big Deal because this event will bring families together to have fun while enjoying rabbit meat prepared by some of Bulawayo’s prominent chefs. Rabbit meat is, indeed, the big deal on the meat market in Zimbabwe. Our vision as Midesha is to make rabbit meat a household dish in country.”

Keep Reading

Rabbit farming has significant potential to generate foreign currency through exports.

It can also improve food security and nutrition in developing countries.

Nutritionists and health experts say rabbit meat is an “excellent” source of protein, which keeps humans healthy by building and repairing their muscles, skin and blood.

Rabbit meat is also an excellent source of iron, which helps in healthy blood flows.

Rabbit meat is also a source of the B vitamins B12 and niacin.

Nutritionists say rabbit meat is one of the best white meats available on the market today.

It has a high percentage of easily digestible protein and contains the least amount of fat among all available meats.