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Tariro Stacey Gatsi
THE horticulture sector has notched a 13 percent growth, thanks to the positive impact of a raft of strategies introduced by Government in collaboration with the private sector in recent seasons to revitalise its performance.
This was revealed in the Crops, Livestock, and Fisheries (second round assessment) CLAFA for 2023/24, which reported a notable surge in production for most horticultural crops.
“There is an overall increase in production of horticultural crops for the 2023/2024 season by 13 percent,” read the report.
Horticultural crops can grow fast in Zimbabwe since the country is well placed geographically and climatically to produce fresh and pure produce on its good soils, pristine water and a variety of climatic conditions.
The report showed that production of blueberries increased significantly by 38 percent from 5 787 tonnes last season to 8, 000 tonnes this season. Irish potato production increased by 12 percent from 599 550 tonnes last season to 673 484 tonnes this season. Onions rose by 6 percent from 290 628 tonnes last season to 309 008 tonnes this season with leafy vegetables growing by 9 percent from 261 960 tonnes to 285 920 tonnes. Cabbages increased by 4 percent from 607 392 to 631 659 tonnes.
Tomato production increased by 18 percent from 336 300 to 395 653 tonnes while peas production decreased by 9 percent from 2 832 to 2 586 tonnes.
Oranges increased by 14 percent from 179 482 to 203 764 tonnes with lemons also rising by two percent 71 652 to 72 996 tonnes this season. On the other hand, tea production declined by 25 percent from 22 648 to 17 038 tonnes this season.
Deciduous fruits – peaches and nectarines increased by one percent from 9 477 to 9 612 tonnes. Macadamia production recorded a two percent rise from 49 020 to 50 016 tonnes with bananas increasing by four percent from 313 638 to 325 400 tonnes.
Meanwhile, the CLAFA report 2 for the 2022/23 summer season indicated that there was an overall increase in production of horticultural crops. The total production includes both local and export markets.
Last year, Government launched a US$30 million Horticulture Export Revolving Fund (HERF) to enhance the horticulture sector’s contribution to the growth of the country’s export earnings and economic growth.
The funding was basically focusing on supporting horticultural farmers and those involved in exports.
The Government is also rolling out various initiatives under the Horticulture Growth and Recovery Plan (HGRP) and the National Agriculture Policy Framework (NAPF) to boost horticultural production and enhance food security and incomes.
The HGRP and NAPF are government programmes that seek to stimulate both commercial and rural horticultural production to accelerate both domestic and export output and profitability and contribute significantly to food security and nutrition, import substitution, foreign currency generation, employment creation, diversification of rural economies and generating household incomes.
Online Reporter