BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
ZIMBABWE’S egg production tumbled by 4% to 36,4 million dozens in 2018, as output by small-scale producers fell, according to a fourth quarter performance report by the Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA).
In the report, ZPA chairperson Solomon Zawe said the large-scale in-lay layer production stocks continued to improve and in the fourth quarter of 2018, were 27% higher than in the third quarter, and 87% than stocks in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Similarly, large-scale table egg production increased by 27% in the fourth quarter to 1,6 million dozens per month, being increases of 27% over the third quarter and 73% over the fourth quarter in 2017.
However, Zawe said estimated small-scale production decreased by 1% to 1,8 million dozens per month.
“Total egg production in the fourth quarter was 3,4 million dozens per month, being increases of 10% compared with third quarter of 2018 and 28% over fourth quarter of 2017. The wholesale price of table eggs increased 65% and averaged $6,06 per tray of 30 eggs,” he said.
“Estimate total egg production for the year was 36,4 million dozens, a decrease of 4% compared with 2017.”
Meanwhile, the ZPA boss said the layer breeding industry witnessed tremendous growth in the last half of 2018 on the back of continued breeder investments.
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He said total layer breeder stocks (growing and in-lay) averaged 76 596 birds per month in the fourth quarter of 2018, an increase of 41% over the third quarter and 152% over the same period in 2017 and matched the previous stock levels of early 2014.
“Layer hatching egg production increased by 45% in the fourth quarter, which was 155% higher than the same period last year,” he said.
Zawe said sexed pullet production (layer day-old chicks) averaged 169 620 per month in the fourth quarter, which was a 14% decrease as compared to the third quarter, but 46% higher than the fourth quarter in 2017.
In the 2018 fourth quarter, the average price of sexed pullets increased by 29% to $220 per dozen.
