January 7, 2015

Zimbabwe is optimistic it will soon start exporting beef to Russia, which continues to seek alternative suppliers of beef after it banned food imports from the West.

Zimbabwe's state media said Russia would be sending an inspection team to the South African country to check its livestock industry and explore business opportunities including the manufacture of vaccines and medicines for livestock.

"Very soon we will have a delegation from Russia, exclusively for the livestock sector and it is going to be wide ranging," Zimbabwe's Agriculture Minister Joseph Made was quoted as saying.

He added that potential Russian investors could partner with Zimbabwean state or private companies.

Zimbabwe's current national cattle herd is estimated to number 5.36 million, and the government aims to raise the number to 6 million.

Zimbabwe's livestock industry is centred on beef, pork and milk.

Zimbabwe used to export beef, to the EU until 2001 when an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease stopped the trade.

Besides the EU, the country also used to export beef to Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Malaysia.