Poor infrastructure in an area known for its mountainous complexity is standing in the way of Zimbabwe rolling out raw milk imports from Mozambique.
This after Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited (DZL) was granted a special dispensation from government to import product from Mozambique for its production facilities in the eastern town of Chipinge in Manicaland.
Several farms in neighbouring Manica Province in Mozambique have already been visited and vetted by veterinary officials involved with the raw milk imports, but getting the imports across the border via Mt Selinda is proving to be a headache for Zimbabwe.
On the Mozambican side of the border the road infrastructure is good enough to ship milk west but on the other side of Mt Selinda, roads to Chipinge are said to be in such a bad state of disrepair that it’s virtually impassable.
But in a case of building a way if there’s a will, despite the country’s current economic crisis, Zim provincial administrator Edgars Seenza said “we have engaged the Ministry of Transport to ensure that the road is rehabilitated.
“Government has already started work on that road and we hope that it will be completed by the time DZL starts bringing in the milk.”
