Milk and cream market in Zimbabwe

Earlier Report Observations

Zimbabwe's production of milk and cream experienced a slight contraction in 2019, falling to 451 тыс. т, before entering a period of sustained growth. Market volume followed a similar path, declining to 449 тыс. т that year and then climbing steadily to reach 494 тыс. т by 2023. This recovery and subsequent expansion were primarily driven by state-supported initiatives aimed at boosting raw milk output at the farm level.

A significant driver was the launch of artificial insemination programs under the Livestock Recovery and Growth Plan in 2022, which directly improved herd genetics and milk yields. This effort was expanded nationwide in 2023 through a partnership between the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers and an international project. Furthermore, the government's 'Command Livestock Programme' distributed 660 heifers to small-scale farmers in 2024, increasing the national dairy herd and the supply of raw milk. These measures collectively raised domestic production capacity.

Concurrently, regulatory reforms lowered market entry and operating costs. Beginning in 2018, authorities reduced dairy-related licence fees, and by 2024, they had eliminated 34 fees entirely and slashed others by up to 99%, encouraging new processors and capacity expansion. Parallel updates to packaging rules, such as mandatory 'best before' dates and fat-content labelling introduced in 2022 and 2024, shaped product presentation and segmentation.

Production milk and cream in Zimbabwe

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of milk and cream, 2017-2020

World map of production of milk and cream, 2017-2020

In 2019, Zimbabwe produced 451.0 thousand tons of milk and cream, marking the lowest output in recent years. Production then rose slightly by 1.7% to reach 458.4 thousand tons in 2020. The highest production level was recorded earlier, in 2018, at 464.8 thousand tons. The most significant year-over-year decrease occurred in 2019, when output fell by 3.0%.

Annual dynamics of production in Zimbabwe in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Exports milk and cream from Zimbabwe

Exports in kind, t

Zimbabwe's exports of milk and cream have been growing steadily for three consecutive years. In 2020, the country shipped 1,883 tons abroad, representing a 5.9% increase compared to 2019. Looking at the broader period from 2017 to 2020, exports surged by 1,652.2%, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 159.7%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Zimbabwe in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, Zimbabwe's milk and cream exports were distributed across multiple countries without a single dominant partner. Mozambique accounted for 27.7% of exports, Botswana for 14.5%, and Zambia for 7.0%. Together, these three countries made up just 49.2% of total export volumes, with the remaining half going to various other destinations.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Zimbabwe in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

Zimbabwe's milk and cream exports in value terms have also increased for the third year in a row. In 2020, exports totaled 1,069 thousand US dollars, up 5.0% from the previous year. Over the four-year span from 2017 to 2020, export value grew by 1,010.3%, averaging an annualized increase of 123.1%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Zimbabwe in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, the distribution of Zimbabwe's milk and cream exports by value was similarly diverse. Mozambique led with 31.3% of the total, followed by Botswana at 10.3% and Zambia at 7.2%. Combined, these three partners represented only 48.8% of export value, while the majority—51.2%—was spread across numerous other countries.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Zimbabwe in value, 2017-2020

Imports milk and cream to Zimbabwe

Imports in kind, t

Imports of milk and cream into Zimbabwe showed considerable volatility during this period. In 2019, imports hit their lowest point at just 4 tons, but then surged dramatically by 470.4% to reach a peak in 2020. Overall, imports fluctuated widely, with a 5.7-fold difference between the low in 2019 and the high in 2020. The sharpest decline occurred in 2019, when imports dropped by 78.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Zimbabwe in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, South Africa was the overwhelmingly dominant source for Zimbabwe's milk and cream imports, accounting for 92.3% of the total volume.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Zimbabwe in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

Zimbabwe's milk and cream imports in value terms also experienced significant swings. In 2019, import value fell to its minimum of 8 thousand US dollars, but rebounded strongly by 375.0% to 40 thousand US dollars in 2020. The highest import value was recorded earlier, in 2018, at 47 thousand US dollars. Imports varied by a factor of 5.7 between the 2018 peak and the 2019 trough, with the steepest decline of 82.3% occurring in 2019.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Zimbabwe in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, South Africa dominated Zimbabwe's milk and cream imports in value terms, capturing 98.3% of the total.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Zimbabwe in value, 2017-2020