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| GOVERNMENT is set to seal a number of horticulture deals mainly with Chinese investors who have expressed interest in the country’s flower sector. |
This sector used to be one of Zimbabwe’s top foreign currency earners.
Chinese firms’ interest in the local horticulture sector was sparked by the exportation of sample flowers to the Asian giant.
Already, a Chinese firm, China Industrial International Group Zimbabwe (CIIG) has indicated that it intends to inject US$10 million towards horticulture.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made told The Sunday Mail Business that the CIIG deal had ignited a lot of interest across the world, with Chinese firms leading the pack.
“We are very happy that our US$10 million floriculture deal with the Chinese firm, CIIG has generated great interest from many Chinese companies.
“After our flowers qualified for the required export grade in China, many firms from that side of the world not only wanted to invest in roses, but also other flower types which are very crucial in their market.
“Given the sparks that were generated by that deal, we expect new deals to double or triple from the current US$10 million investment,” said Dr Made.
The quality of locally-produced flowers has been hailed by the Chinese but they have expressed concern over packaging and infrastructure, which are critical if the country is to realise more money from the sector.
At its peak in 1999, the horticulture sector generated an all-time-high annual revenue of US$142 million.
However, latest statistics show that the country is currently earning less than US$40 million from horticultural exports.
Around 1999, the sector was the second largest foreign currency earner after tobacco, contributing an average 4 percent of gross domestic product.
The country exported about 85 percent of its flowers to the Netherlands while about 90 percent of total fresh vegetables landed in Britain, South Africa, Zambia and Namibia and 80 percent of fruits were consumed by British and South African markets.
Roses produced in mainly Banket, Trelawney, Concession, Glendale, Bindura, Harare, Goromonzi and Kwekwe, constituted 70 percent of cut-flower exports from Zimbabwe.
Other flowers grown and exported include proteas, asters and chrysanthemums.
Annual varieties produced in large volumes included ammi majus and buplearum while smaller volumes of delphinium, carthamus, craspedia, euphorbia, callistephus and molucella were also produced.
Government is determined to revive the horticulture sector and is sourcing funds to revitalise apples, pears, plums, peachapricots, nectarine and grape so that the country does not import from neighbouring countries.
Dr Made believes that if all necessary investments are made in the sector, the country would reclaim its third spot in flower production after the Netherlands and Israel.
Moves to resuscitate the sector come after production declined sharply from 142 000 tonnes in 1999 to 39 175 tonnes in 2010.
In 2001, Zimbabwe was ranked the second largest exporter of horticulture products in Africa, after Kenya and was the fifth biggest exporter into Europe.
Dr Made said besides China, Zimbabwe is working with several other countries to revive the sector.
Recently, Zimbabwe engaged Netherlands to revamp the industry.
It is hoped that the intervention by the Netherlands will help reposition the country’s horticulture sector, in particular small to medium scale farmers, to become key drivers in the growth of exports.
Said Dr Made: “Due to some new developments in the global horticultural markets, we have to move fast.
“This will help small to medium scale farmers to become key drivers in the growth of exports. This will be achieved through knowledge transfer in planting, production, harvesting, post-harvest management, processing as well as the contribution of horticulture economic growth.”
Despite the challenges affecting the sector, it has retained high employment levels.
The fruit industry is still a key sub-sector in terms of employment opportunities, social and economic impact.
Fresh Produce Marketing Association of Zimbabwe (FPMAZ) official Mr Godwin Mushori is impressed by the steps made towards the promotion of the fresh produce sector in the country.
“A lot work has been done centred around the need for increased and coordinated private sector support for agriculture, and horticulture in particular.
“Several high level meetings were done together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, CZI, the Agricultural Marketing Authority and the producers association, to share information that facilitates effective decision making, organised production and marketing of fresh produce in a manner that promotes both local farmers and local fresh produce industry in general.
“This resulted in creating confidence in the local farmers who responded very well with improved production on the majority of vegetables except onions,” said Mr Mushori.
The planned investments will go towards supporting farmers with fertilisers, seeds and other inputs required in horticulture production.
The sector has been on a steady rebound since 2010 pushed by vegetables and flowers.
Online Reporter