Zimbabwe’s commercial milk production reached 40 million litres during the first four months of 2026, recording a seven percent increase compared to 38 million litres produced during the same period last year, as the country moves closer to achieving milk self-sufficiency.
Data released by the Dairy Services Unit (DSU) showed steady year-on-year growth in milk production since the beginning of the year. In January, milk output rose by nine percent to 10.6 million litres from 9.8 million litres recorded in January 2025. February production increased by eight percent to 9.4 million litres compared to 8.7 million litres a year earlier. March output climbed six percent to 10.2 million litres from 9.6 million litres, while April production improved five percent to 10.1 million litres against 9.6 million litres in the corresponding period last year.
Zimbabwe’s Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, expressed confidence that the country would attain milk self-sufficiency this year.
The country produced 155 million litres of milk in 2025, of which 121 million litres came from commercial production while the remainder was consumed at household level. Zimbabwe’s dairy industry has been recovering steadily through policy reforms and investment initiatives aimed at strengthening production capacity.
According to Dr Masuka, commercial milk production is projected to exceed 200 million litres by 2030 under the Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (AFSRTS 2) for 2026–2030. The strategy focuses on improving productivity, strengthening industry viability and increasing value addition within the dairy sector.
He noted that the dairy industry has expanded by 129 percent since 2017 and said the country is expected to become self-sufficient in milk production from 2026 onwards.
Commercial raw milk production increased by six percent last year to 122 million litres, up from 115 million litres in 2024. Zimbabwe requires around 131 million litres annually to meet national self-sufficiency levels. With industry stakeholders targeting 10 percent growth this year, milk output is expected to rise to 134 million litres by the end of 2026.
Despite the positive growth trend, industry stakeholders said production levels remain significantly below those achieved during the 1990s and still fall short of national consumption demand. Farmers continue to face economic pressures including high production costs and limited access to affordable financing.
The dairy sector is also dealing with several structural challenges such as expensive feed and utility costs, shortages of raw materials for fodder production, illegal imports, counterfeit dairy products and inadequate veterinary and testing services.
Meanwhile, figures from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) revealed that dairy imports increased sharply during the first four months of the year. Import values rose 72 percent to US$8.7 million compared to US$5.1 million during the same period last year, while import volumes grew 54 percent to 2.5 million kilogrammes from 1.6 million kilogrammes.
Zimbabwe Dairy Industry Trust (ZDIT) chairperson Themba Mutsvairo attributed the rise in imports to growing consumer demand driven by economic expansion. He said Zimbabwe’s 6.6 percent GDP growth in 2025 stimulated economic activity, increased disposable incomes and boosted demand for dairy products.
Mr Mutsvairo also noted that the Government’s crackdown on smuggled goods and informal trading had strengthened local manufacturing, increasing the need for dairy ingredients used by processors. He added that processors are adopting a dual strategy of supporting local milk production while importing dairy ingredients to meet growing market demand.
As Zimbabwe works towards achieving upper-middle-income economy status by 2030, demand for dairy products is expected to continue rising due to increasing awareness of the nutritional importance of dairy protein.
Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (LMAC) executive administrator Dr Reneth Mano said dairy consumption generally increases alongside higher household incomes. He pointed out that Zimbabwe’s current dairy consumption remains below 10 litres per person annually, with consumption heavily concentrated among wealthier households that consume between 80 and 100 litres per person each year.
Dr Mano added that many low-income families had reduced or eliminated milk and cheese from their daily diets due to affordability challenges. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations for low- and middle-income countries, annual dairy consumption should reach approximately 45 litres per person.