Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Business Reporter
THE production of dragon fruit is expected to register remarkable growth following ZimTrade’s intervention to train and empower small-scale farmers to grow and commercialise the production of the potentially lucrative crop.
In partnership with Fruitful Horizon Zimbabwe, a team of experts will train and capacitate 35 small-scale farmers from Nyanga District, empowering them to grow this lucrative crop.
The pilot project aims to boost the production and export of dragon fruit, a high-value crop in high demand in Asia and Europe. By diversifying their crop range, farmers will, not only earn foreign currency for the country, but also improve their livelihoods.
Fruitful
Horizon Zimbabwe director, Mr Elvis Nyanhongo said the selected farmers will undergo a two-day training programme and receive 200 dragon fruit trees to establish a demonstration plot. They will also receive essential inputs to support the project.
To further support the farmers, aggregator, Sisa Foods and Beverages, will provide each farmer with 10 fruit trees to establish an independent orchard at their homes.
In our quest to identify new export opportunities, we discovered the dragon fruit as a promising non-traditional export product. We conducted extensive research, which included visits to several East African countries, to explore the fruit’s lucrative potential and understand its cultivation requirements.
“We have partnered with an investor interested in purchasing dragon fruit from farmers and investing in value addition. Additional partners will be brought on board to develop value-added products from the fruit. We collaborated with ZimTrade due to the product’s vast export potential, despite its limited growing in Zimbabwe.
“ZimTrade is assisting us in capacitating farmers to grow the crop and produce high-quality outputs that meet export market demands. The market exists, but the product is lacking. We are initiating the project with 35 farmers from the Kute area in Nyanga District, where ZimTrade is supporting a two-day training programme on crop growing and maintenance. The farmers will also receive essential inputs, including seeds and fertilisers,” said Mr Nyanhongo.
Leader farmer, Mr Richard Kavhenga expressed gratitude on behalf of the farmers, saying they have been handed a ‘golden opportunity’ to diversify from their traditional potato and maize crops.
Mr Kavhenga said the demonstration plot will be managed by a cluster comprising adults, women, and youths, ensuring inclusivity. The global market size for dragon fruit is approximately US$12,5 billion, with growing demand in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. A hectare of land can yield 1 500 to 2 000 plants, depending on spacing, at a cost of US$10 000 to US$15 000.
Average yields per hectare range from 20 to 30 tonnes, depending on climate and crop management. The fruit is priced between US$1,50 and US$3 per kilogramme.
Dragon fruit has various uses, including juice production, jam, dried fruit, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and animal feed for poultry and livestock.
