In an interview with The Source, Zimbabwe Poultry Association (ZPA) chairperson Solomon Zawe said the industry was booming in the first quarter.

However, he added that the growth could slow down in the second quarter due to Zimbabwe's dormant economy.

“Poultry industry was booming in the first quarter of 2015 as we produced about 17 million day old chicks compared to the same period last year. This is an increase of 22 per cent,” Mr Zawe said.

“The market is looking good. We are quite happy with the fact that the government will import maize from Zambia and that will reduce our production costs in the sense that maize would be cheaper.”

Mr Zawe told The Source the industry was projecting a 10 to 15 per cent increase in the second half due to a liquidity crisis.

Last year, Zimbabwe's poultry industry produced over 60 million chicks.

This year Mr Zawe indicated that they are aiming to produce over 70 million day-old chicks.

Zimbabwe has a combined hatching capacity of 76 million day-old chicks per annum but over the years, cheap imported chickens have flooded the local market, edging out local producers.

Poultry breeding and production in Zimbabwe is commercially based and includes thousands of indigenous producers in communal areas and in backyards in urban areas.

In 2012, the government imposed an import duty of $1.50 per kilogramme on imported chicken, but this has done little to curb imports.

Zimbabwe imports most of its chicken from South Africa and Brazil.