tawandamusarurwa
Theseus Shambare
MACADAMIA nuts, along with tobacco and cotton, now rank among the country’s top exports to China.
Last year, Zimbabwe exported agricultural products worth US$657 million to the world’s second-biggest economy.
Demand for macadamia nuts across the world has been rising, and this presents opportunities for both smallholder and commercial farmers to export their produce.
Mr Jefta Mugweni and his wife Tsitsi Mugweni, from Mvurwi, the farming capital of Mashonaland Central, have caught on to the trend of making agriculture a full-time business. They have since established a ground-breaking project in the province, on their Makumbiri Farm, where they are growing the lucrative cash crop.
“After having lived outside Zimbabwe for a number of years, I came back and visited Chipinge and Chimanimani, and I realised how macadamia production was a great business,” said Mrs Mugweni.
Recently, the couple hosted a field day that attracted farmers from across the province.
“The objective of the field day was to showcase our macadamia plantation that we set up in 2018. We wanted to show other farmers in Mash Central that they can also do it. Macadamia nuts are a very lucrative crop that is in demand all over the world, and it has potential to transform the lives of many farmers.
“We wanted to also prove that this plant is not limited to the Eastern Highlands, where it is mostly grown,” she said.
ZimTrade export manager Mr Tatenda Marume said growing the crop can turn farmers into millionaires.
“As we stand here, what we are witnessing on this farm is a million-dollar project. If you do your calculations well, you will see that we are minting our own millionaires in macadamia production alone.
“Currently, the country has 12 000 hectares under macadamia, producing between 8 000 and 10 000 tonnes of macadamia in-shell (macadamia nuts sold with shells). Zimbabwe grows the Beaumont and intergrifolia macadamia varieties under the cutting/budding propagation method or from seeds,” said Mr Marume.
There is an opportunity for banks and companies, he said, to invest in macadamia farming.
“To the corporate world, we also invite investment in processing equipment. Most farmers do not have drying facilities and are forced to dispose of the nuts in-shell, even at low prices to local middlemen, which is not economic to farmers. This is the best area of investment,” added Mr Marume.
Mr and Mrs Mugweni have 50 000 seedlings and 10ha of an established plantation on their farm.
Overall, their farm employs 20 workers, with more set to be hired as production increases.
“For the next five years, we are looking at growing our plantation to at least 60 hectares. As we encourage new farmers to come on board, we are offering free planting labour to anyone who can get seedlings from us.
“The development of a nursery has created opportunities for potential macadamia growers in Mashonaland Central to access seedlings nearby, instead of travelling to the Eastern Highlands,” said Mrs Mugweni.
Macadamia nuts, she said, are a lifetime venture as the trees can be harvested for more than 60 years.
“Trees can be productive for 60 to 80 years, after taking only eight years from seeds to production stage, while, through grafting, the plants can require only three years to start producing fruits.
“We have a macadamia that has a taproot, which is different from using cuttings, which are prone to wind. I am very proud to supply these. We are also going to use scions.”
A well-managed orchard with tree spacing of eight by four metres (or 312 trees per hectare), she added, is expected to yield a peak of 3,5 to four tonnes of in-shell nuts per ha (12 to 13 kilogrammes per tree) at maturity.
Currently, on the international market, the in-shell nut is going for an average of US$4,60 per kg, while the cracked one (shelled nut) is being sold for US$12 to US$18 for the same quantity.
The nuts can be processed into oil, butter, chocolates and biscuits, among other products. Mrs Mugweni said plans are at an advanced stage to establish a state-of-the-art factory to value-add the produce.
“Value addition is also on the cards. We want to produce things like oils, soap and chocolates here in Mvurwi so that we can also develop our area.”
The couple has also established beehives across their plantation to help the trees with pollination during flowering in order to boost yields.
The bees produce high-value honey using nectar from the tree flowers, creating an additional income-generating project.
South Africa exports macadamia nuts worth over US$300 million annually.
Last year, Zimbabwe’s exports amounted to US$18 million in 2022.
Online Reporter