Chronicle Editor
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
EMPOWERMENT lobby group, Business Economic Empowerment Federation (BEEF) has secured an export market for chilli in China in a move that is set to boost farmers’ confidence in the crop and reaffirm their role in the recovery of olericulture.
BEEF secured the market through engaging in a partnership with ShumbaTafari Agriculture which will see farmers provided with an opportunity to grow non-organic chilli and paprika with a guaranteed export market in China.
Small and large-scale farmers have taken advantage of the recent operationalisation of the Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan (HRGP) to strike lucrative contract deals for the production of chilli.
BEEF had successfully completed an agreement with Malawian Buyers to sell and export the African Birds Eye Chilli through their own established export channels but plans were affected by Cyclone Freddy that damaged warehouses and other infrastructure in Malawi early this year.
BEEF vice-president Mrs Lindiwe Mpofu-Mahlahla told Sunday News that chilli export agreements suffered various setbacks but the empowerment group worked round the clock to ensure that the farmers they empower get an alternative source market.
“While regrouping from the disappointment of Malawi and Cyclone Freddy we encountered another major problem in April 2023, a ban on all fresh and dried chillies was placed on Zimbabwean Chilli exports to the EU market.
“After discussions with Phytosanitary who we had already engaged for purposes of clearance to export regionally to Malawi, it was confirmed that chilli exports have been banned from Zimbabwe unless compliance is met under EU regulations. At the time, no (mandatory) entry could be declared with regard to False Coddling Moth (FCM) as no pest-free production locations had been communicated with the European Commission,” she said.
FCM is listed as a priority pest under EU plant health regulations (EU) 2019/1702). Mrs Mpofu-Mahlahla said unfortunately, this pest had been intercepted on several host plants in recent months during EU border controls and as a result, stricter rules have now been introduced for Zimbabwe.
She said last month after receiving confirmation that the country was still on hold from our partners in Malawi, BEEF decided to map out a new initiative by looking for an alternative partner to continue promoting chilli growing, meet the planting season, and avoid disappointing farmers.
“BEEF Agriculture entered a partnership with ShumbaTafari to grow a non-organic chilli (that can also be grown organically) and paprika exported to China.
“Unlike African Birds Eye, the chilli is grown in two seasons per year in Zimbabwe and pays US$1,45 per kilogramme guaranteed market and expected yields are 4-6 tonnes averaging US$9 000 per hectare equating to US$18 000 per year for one hectare for high yields. Cost of Seeds would be between US$200 to US$400,” she said.
She encouraged farmers to join and support this initiative while work was in progress to partner with Malawi and seek to work towards achieving full compliance with EU regulations.
BEEF Agriculture and ShumbaTafari will also be hosting free training programmes to encourage the signing up of farmers and to educate them on the Tejaswini Chilli this month for the planting season next month.
@nyeve14
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