Moffat Mungazi
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
COFFEE production is on a steady growth, with over 600 metric tonnes currently being produced in Manicaland amid teething problems that require attention for the sector to meet the pre-2000 levels when the crop used to be the fifth most foreign currency earner with 98 percent of it being exported.
Zimbabwe produces a mild Arabica coffee, regarded highly for its balanced acidity, body and consistent quality and organic nature, that fetches high premium on the world market.
The country has more than three state-of-the-art coffee mills in Mutare and Chipinge, with a combined annual processing capacity of 50 000mt.
Zimbabwe was among the world’s top coffee producers, and at its peak 8 000 hectares were put under coffee, with production reaching an all-time high of 14 664mt in 1989.
The sector employed well over 20 000 people then.
The bulky of the important cash crop is produced in the Eastern Highlands – Chipinge, Mutare, Chimanimani and Mutasa – which boast of ideal climatic conditions, good soils and hillside terrain where other cash crops cannot be easily grown.
In the past, there was also significant coffee production in Mashonaland West (Mhangura and Karoi), Mashonaland Central (Guruve) and Mashonaland East (Arcturus).
Acting head of the Chipinge-based Coffee Research Institute, Mr Samson Tarusenga said currently there are more than 1 000 hectares under coffee in Chipinge alone, adding that coffee growers in Manicaland can increase the hectarage if they get long term funding to boost production.
Mr Tarusenga said despite coffee fetching a lucrative price of US$6 per kilogramme, most growers have small plots, and are failing to expand as banks only offer short term loans of up to a year. It takes up to three years for growers to start harvesting coffee.
“There is abundant market for locally produced coffee. Zimbabwe exports about 98 percent of its coffee produce, and failing to satisfy the export market demand. Currently, our production level is between 500 and 600 metric tonnes.
At one point, there were some buyers who wanted 70 000mt of coffee, and considering where we are, we could not take up the offer.
“Currently, the main buyers of coffee are Zimbabwe Coffee Mill (ZCM) and Grain Marketing Board (GMB). ZCM then invites buyers for auction of the produce. In Manicaland, we have over 1 000 coffee growers. For the past years our growers have been learning the ropes on how to produce quality coffee, and most of them now have the requisite know-how, which will eventually lead to increased production,” he said.
Apart from limited funding, other factors affecting productivity of coffee include prevalence of droughts, limited supplementary irrigation infrastructure, low level of production skills, constrained funding for coffee research and extension programmes, availability of labour, cost of inputs, coffee prices paid to farmers, non-structured coffee seed production, which affects the quality of seed, and upsurge in insects, pests and diseases.
“There is need to revitalise irrigation facilities to mitigate recurrent droughts. The Presidential Inputs Programme, which caters for other crops, should also be extended to coffee growers.
“There is also need to open long term tailor-made loan schemes for coffee growers. Currently, on the open market, there are short term loans, most of which are unsustainable to coffee farmers.
“On average, good quality coffee fetches around US$6 per kilogramme, which is a good price. There is a steady rebound for coffee production, and we are working hard monitoring the farmers. As a research unit, we are introducing new coffee varieties and supplying adequate seedlings. We are also training farmers to come up with their own seedlings and expand the area under coffee,” said Mr Tarusenga.
Coffee Commodity Association of Zimbabwe vice-chairman, Mr Norman Marukutira said export market is abundant for locally-produced coffee, and stakeholders should devise sustainable means to service it through increased production and productivity.
Zimbabwe has current markets for raw coffee in Netherlands, Switzerland, USA, Germany, South Africa, Canada, Australia and the UK with potential markets in Japan and China.
The coffee industry is built on two distinct models – large-scale and smallholder sectors.
“At the moment the coffee sector is showing signs of recovery and growth. There is an upsurge in the numbers of growers taking up coffee production, with both small-scale and large-scale farmers coming on board. Coffee prices have been very firm, and this has resultantly attracted a lot of farmers.
“We are exporting coffee through Nepresso to Switzerland. ZimTrade is also bringing some buyers from United Arab Emirates, but we have been found wanting as we are not able to supply that market as current production levels are very low to meet the required tonnage. We are urging coffee growers to increase their hectarage.
“Our main challenge is financing, which is expensive and in the short-term.
“A farmer cannot pay back the loan within a year when it takes three years to get the first harvest.
“There is need to relook at the export retention policy, as the figures are demoralising farmers, considering that coffee inputs are being sold in foreign currency.
“We will be hosting the national coffee field day in June, where all players and stakeholders — Government, farmers, bankers, and the private sector, among others will share ideas on how to ameliorate the obtaining momentum and find ways to further grow the sector,” he said.
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