Online Reporter
The Herald 22 August 1998
THE horticultural industry earned $2,2 billion in exports in the 1998 season, $600 million more over last year’s $1,6 billion.
But it had hoped to double exports only failing owing to inadequate handling capacity at Harare International Airport and the high interest rates which limited the expansion plans of growers.
The industry earned the over $2,2 billion from the export of over 25 000 tonnes of flowers, vegetables and fruit to the European market.
Some 14 643 tonnes of cut flowers, representing 85 percent of expected exports and 11 256 tonnes of fresh produce, which accounted for 92 percent of expected export volumes, were sold on the European market during the just-ended selling season.
In an interview this week, the Horticultural Promotion Council director, Mr Stanley Heri, attributed the shortfall to inadequate ground handling capacity at the Harare International Airport, high finance costs incurred by the growers and high import duty charged by the Department of Customs and Excise on new technology and seed varieties.
He said the loading equipment at the airport could not handle the large export volumes of flowers.
“While we appreciate the tremendous level of co-operation between the staff of Air Zimbabwe and Affretair, the equipment unfortunately is overstretched and in a state of disrepair. Most of this equipment is obsolete and therefore uneconomic to repair.”
Since April this year flowers were loaded by the Air Zimbabwe main deck high loader as Affretair’s loader was not functioning. He said even the ground handling agents did not have adequate back-up service to repair any of the broken-down equipment.
Lessons for today:
The horticultural industry had the potential to double its export earnings, but inadequate handling facilities at Harare International Airport limited this growth.
Economic sectors, especially export-driven ones, rely heavily on efficient infrastructure. Without it, even high-performing industries can under-perform.
