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Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
AGRICULTURAL mass markets ended the year strongly with high demand for most commodities creating a festive atmosphere that saw farmers and consumers joining hands to reduce post-harvest market losses.
Among the commodities in high demand were potatoes, butternuts, green vegetables (covo, rape, tsunga), fine beans, peas, carrots, and green peppers.
Many consumers have an effective demand (desire and ability to purchase) for various agricultural commodities during the Christmas and New Year period.
Daily market trade prices collected and released by Knowledge Transfer Africa (KTA) for the main Mbare market in Harare show that prices for some of the most popular commodities had increased, bringing cheer to farmers.
KTA chief executive officer, Dr Charles Dhewa said the rise in output prices aligned with the festive mood and the movement of people from the diaspora into the country.
“There is a correspondence between fresh produce and main retail markets and the increase in prices reflects the cheerful mood. The movement of people from the diaspora and from urban to rural areas for the Christmas holiday has increased the demand for these products,” he said.
Supply of some products has dropped due to water challenges and the heat wave that swept across the country in recent weeks.
There is a need for value addition of perishable horticultural products with Dr Dhewa urging innovation hubs to address farmers’ challenges relating to post-harvest losses.
“Local authorities must also contribute by building durable market structures with cold chain infrastructure to aid in price discovery and ensure the availability of products throughout the year. This will save the country foreign currency that would otherwise go towards avoidable imports,” Dr Dhewa added.
This is in line with the Presidential Horticulture Rural Development Scheme, under the Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan (HRGP), which seeks to develop rural aggregation centres for value addition and beneficiation of vegetables and fruits.
Dr Dhewa said more than 70 000 households were supported by the mass markets with changes in the mass market serving as barometers of the country’s agro-based economy.
Recent Mbare market statistics show that the average price of a 15-kilogramme pack of small-sized potatoes rose 57 percent from an average price of US$3, 50 at the beginning of the month to US$5, 50.
A 30-kilogramme sandak of tomatoes, which rose 39 percent from an average of US$9 to US$12, 50 provides a good example. A bundle of covo vegetables registered a 100 percent price increase from US$3, 50 to US$7.
A communal farmer from Mutoko district in Mashonaland East province, Mrs Mavis Chiporengenga was overjoyed by the price at which she sold her tomatoes.
“Tomato prices had dipped in the last few days due to fast ripening caused by the heat wave but today (last week) my price and income have doubled. I managed to sell all my tomatoes and have no post-harvest losses from this delivery,” she explained joyfully.
Mrs Chiporengenga said she would use the money as fees for her Form 1 child this term.
Another communal farmer from Mbonje Village in Chihota district, also in Mashonaland East, Mr Padire brought covo vegetables, which got sold out within minutes at double prices.
A consumer from Mbare, Mrs Enet Mbaza commended the freshness of the commodities her children bought from the market, as they were coming directly from the field and were not leftovers that would have deteriorated from overnight storage under unrefrigerated storage.
Online Reporter