The governor also slammed the latest wave of farm invasions, saying: "The time for invasions is over".

This past week more than 200 illegal settlers and their families had moved onto Shaw's diary farm, Wildebeest, occupying his last 200 hectares of land. The other part of his farm was given to local settlers between 2002 and 2004.

Machaya's warning comes at a time when Zimbabwe is battling to improve output volumes of milk. Industry experts blame the low level of milk production on the chaotic land reform at the turn of the century, as well as the government's failure to honour property rights, resulting in low investor confidence.

Most of the milk in Zimbabwe is imported from South Africa. Even Nestlé Zimbabwe, one of the biggest milk buyers, is importing milk from South Africa because local producers are failing to meet its demands.

Machaya said Shaw was one of the "strategic farmers" who had entered into an agreement with the government. It was decided that Shaw should keep his remaining land.

"Mr Shaw should not be disturbed. This is a government position. White commercial farmers like him are part of the country's move towards improving dairy farming," he said.

The governor spoke against the latest wave of invasions, saying "things should be done through the proper channels" to follow the laws of the country.

"Anyone who occupies land in Zimbabwe has to do this by following the laws of the country," he said.

The Midlands Province has seen a number of farm invasions in the past decade, including the farm of Colin Cloete, a one-time president of the Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe from Chegutu, whose tobacco farm was earmarked. He lost a final supreme court appeal to keep his only remaining property this year.

One of the country's most honoured cattle breeders, Philip Hapelt, lost his farm to Zanu-PF politician Jabulani Mangena. Hapelt, his family and his employees were subjected to violence before the courts declared him a persona non grata.

And Ben Freeth's farm was taken by Zanu-PF stalwart Nathan Shamuyarira. Freeth's father-in-law, Mike Campbell, took the matter to the SADC Tribunal and won his case. However, the government declared the ruling invalid, saying the tribunal did not have jurisdiction in Zimbabwe.

According to a WikiLeaks cable in 2003 about 300 commercial farmers were engaged in legal battles with the government to keep their land, while 4000 to 4500 white farmers had already been evicted.

To date the government has ignored a legally binding ruling by the SADC tribunal in 2008, following a petition by 77 commercial farmers who argued that the land reform programme was conducted along racial lines.

By The Times (SA)