adminMr Elton Nyabusha of Eastworlds Farm claims the electrical power lines that transverses his farm came into contact with the lemon plantation resulting in a fire that consumed 9 300 lemon plants. Some drip irrigation equipment was totally destroyed.
The incident occurred on September 25 last year.
In the summons filed at the High Court on April 19 this year by Mr Maxwell Mavhunga of Mavhunga and Associates, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company was cited as respondent.
The farmer argues that ZETDC had a duty to ensure that the power lines do not get into contact with the plantation.
He contends that the fire was due to negligence on the part of ZETDC.
Mr Nyabusha says his plantation consisting of lemon trees aged 15 and 16 years would produce 500 tonnes of the fruit annually which is valued at US$30 000. He is
now claiming a total of US$150 000 for loss of revenue for a period of five years.
The farmer wants to get the revenue as new trees grow.
Replacement value of the 9 360 trees was pegged at US$5 per plant, which translates to US$46 800.
Mr Nyabusha wants US$33 773 as compensation for the destroyed drip irrigation equipment.
Labour for clearing the land and planting the new trees was pegged at US$7 680.
Online Reporter