Paddy Zhanda, Zimbabwe’s minister for livestock intends to revitalise Zimbabwe’s Cold Storage company. The Bulawayo branch has been closed and offices at the Masvingo abattoir which previously slaughtered 400 head a day are now being leased to non-related businesses.
But Paddy may be right. In Australia there is a definite rise in the demand for prime beef especially from export markets in the Far East. As I doubt that Australia will be able produce sufficient product from its aging abattoirs an opportunity exists which Zimbabwe could exploit. While it might not get to Wagyu levels immediately, where one 28 kg box can be worth over R20 000, there must be a huge intermediate market which could earn Zimbabwe desperately needed foreign currency.