ed their pastures, agricultural organisations said this week.
Commercial farmers have had to send about half the national breeding herd of 550,000 animals, including thousands of pregnant cows, to abattoirs because supporters of President Mugabe set thousands of acres on fire in Chimanimani last month.
A regional executive of the Commercial Farmers’ Union, said: “The commercial breeding herd is being decimated because farmers can’t find grazing. I have never seen cattle lose condition so dramatically as in the last few weeks.” He said abattoirs were fully booked until late February.
Land invaders had slaughtered a growing number of breeding cattle in recent weeks and wild animals were also being killed. At the same time the mobs were extorting enormous sums of money from white farmers.
He said: “As the rains continue, tens of thousands of cattle will be sent for slaughter because we know the squatters will extort money from us, saying our cattle have ruined their crops growing on our land.”
Post published in: News