BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
ZIMBABWE’S egg production increased by 35% to 12,6 million dozen of eggs in the third quarter of the year compared to the same period last year, with small-scale producers contributing more than half of the total output, an official has said.
Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA) chairperson Solomon Zawe revealed that large-scale table egg production increased by 50% to 1,9 million dozen per month in the third quarter (July to September) compared to the same period last year.
He said small-scale table egg production increased by 8% to 2,3 million dozens per month, an increase of 25% over the third quarter of 2018.
“As a result, total egg production is estimated to have increased by 2% to 4,2 million dozen per month, an increase of 35% over the third quarter of 2018,” Zawe said.
As with broiler meat, Zawe said the wholesale price of table eggs has increased dramatically since March this year and in September it was $29,70 per tray of 30 eggs.
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He said hatching egg production from local broiler breeders averaged 7,9 million per month in the period under review, being 3% lower than the second quarter of 2019, but 32% up on the third quarter of 2018.
“Dependence on imported hatching eggs declined dramatically by 63% to 355 000 dozens per month in the third quarter compared with the second quarter. Total broiler hatching eggs average 8,3 million per month in the third quarter, which was 9% lower than the second quarter and 23% down on third quarter of 2018,” he said.
The poultry boss said large-scale layer production stocks (growing and in-lay) continued to increase and in the period under review, averaged 1,2 million birds per month.
Total layer breeder stocks (growing and in-production) averaged 73 577 birds per month in the third quarter of 2019, a decrease of 2% compared to second quarter of this year, but an increase of 43% compared to prior figures, the highest since 2013.
Production of layer hatching eggs in the period under review averaged 1,1 million eggs per month, being 70% up on third quarter of 2018 and the highest since mid-2015.
Zawe boss said sexed pullet production (layer day-old chicks) averaged 253 641 per month in third quarter, an increase of 29% on prior figures.The average price of sexed pullets rose by 130% in the period under review and peaked at $9,96 per pullet in September.