Tendai Gukutikwa
Lovemore Kadzura
Business Reporter
LEADING agricultural investor, Cicada Katiyo (Private) Limited, is investing in a 1.5 megawatt solar project to provide power back up for the vast Katiyo Estate that it jointly operates with Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) in Honde Valley.
Cicada Katiyo (Private) Limited, four years ago, entered into a US$25 million deal with Government to revive Katiyo Estate, which had been run down.
The plantation is now up and running under macadamia and avocado production.
They also manage over 2 000ha of established crops, spanning four estates across Zimbabwe, with 432ha of avocados and 828ha under macadamia nuts.
At Katiyo, they have 307ha under avocados. When contacted for comment, Cicada Katiyo Pvt Ltd requested for more time to respond to enquiries from Post Business.
“Thank you for the email, we appreciate your feedback. Please allow us to review your enquiry and revert within five to seven days, after we have shared your request with relevant members of our team,” reads the respond from their marketing department.
However, in a public notice, Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Authority (ZERA) announced that the investor intends to construct, own, operate and maintain a 1.5MW solar plant at Katiyo Estate in Honde Valley.
“Notice is hereby issued in terms of Section 4 (3) of the Electricity (Licencing) Regulations, 2008 published in Statutory Instrument 103 of 200 that the Zimbabwe Energy and Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has received an application from Cicada Katiyo (Private) Limited to construct, own, operate and maintain a 1.5MW solar photovoltaic plant at Katiyo Estate in Honde Valley, Mutasa District, Manicaland Province.
“Cicada Katiyo (Private) Limited intends to generate power from the proposed solar plant for own consumption. The project will be connected to the grid through the existing Honde 33Kv feeder, which emanates from Nyanga 132/33kv substation for purposes of net-metering.
“The licence application by Cicada Katiyo (Private) Limited was done in terms of the provisions of Sections 42 and 46 of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13:19). Any person desiring to make representations on this application for a generation licence as advertised, may within 14 days from the last day of this publication which expires on 23 May 2025, lodge a written representation with ZERA,” reads part of the notice.
Meanwhile, Cicada Katiyo Pvt Ltd announced on their X handle last month that they have begun exporting avocados from Katiyo and Makandi estates to the European market.
It is officially avocado harvest season across our estates, and the latest consignments are now being packed and prepared for export. Our avocado plantations, Katiyo with 307ha and Makandi’s 120ha, are producing high-quality fruit destined for European markets.
“Grown in the fertile soils of the Eastern Highlands, our avocados reflect the very best of Zimbabwe agriculture. Regenerative farming is at the centre of our thinking, as we are establishing and expanding the adoption of sustainable farming practices include drip irrigation, composting and mulching, cover cropping, livestock management and Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) management,” posted Cicada.
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