Coffee production rebounds

partner came to the rescue of farmers deserted by the European Union.
The EU pulled out after relations soured when the Government undertook the land reform programme at the turn of the century.
A farmer from Chipupuri Village, Mr Tendai Duri, told The Herald recently that the current prices of coffee were encouraging and many farmers were now seriously concentrating on the crop.
“A kilogramme of coffee is selling for between US$5 and US$6, which is a good price that allows the farmer to break even.
“Coffee has a ready market at the Zimbabwe Coffee Mill of Mutare, who incidentally introduced us to our new partner, COTEBA (Coffee Tea and Banana), who is assisting farmers produce coffee, tea and bananas,” said Duri.
He said COTEBA, a local organisation, was assisting farmers with fertilisers, chemicals and financial aid.
This, he said, was poised to see many farmers returning to coffee farming.
Mr Duri also revealed that before pulling out, the EU had started irrigation projects in Honde Valley, Samanga, Rupinda A and B, Chiteme, Masara Heights and Buwu.
“At the moment there is a lot of enthusiasm among the farmers who are seeking more donors or partners to complete the irrigation projects that the EU left at the piping stage,” said Mr Duri.
Meanwhile, smallholder banana farmers in the same area have expressed concern over the prices of basic fertilisers.
“Bananas need a lot of fertiliser. We start by applying Compound D, then Muriate of Potash, Ammonium Nitrate then Compound J. MOP and Compound J are not easy to find and are expensive.
“A bag of MOP costs between US$35 and US$40, which pushes it out of reach for us,” a farmer from Samanga Village Hamufare Mareya commented.
She said although they were getting assistance from a contractor, Matanuska, the inputs were inadequate and needed the farmer to buy supplements. Matanuska sponsors the production of the crop before buying.
Another farmer, Mr Zivanai Masiwa of Nyandoro Village who is not on the Matanuska programme, said banana farmers were facing serious challenges.
“Our problems start from the general lack of water. We have no irrigation. Bananas need reliable water supplies yet we rely on natural rains that are seasonal. We also need Compound C that is quite expensive – selling for US$34 per bag,” he said.
He added that transport costs were also making it very difficult for them to ferry their produce to markets in Harare.
“Transporters are charging between US$8 and US$9 to ferry a bag of bananas from Honde Valley to Harare, while the farmer also parts with US$9 as bus fare. At Mbare Musika or Highfield Market we are asked to pay US$10 for entry, US$5 for packaging and another US$3 for using sanitary facilities. We also sleep in the open and sometimes we end up selling our produce for a song,” he said.