adminLuthando Mapepa
SMALL-SCALE farmers in Chipinge are up in arms with their Mozambican counterparts who are taking advantage of the porous border to smuggle their agricultural produce and flood the market in the district.
A group of farmers led by Headman Muzite gathered at Mundada Primary School in Chipinge East on Tuesday to map the way forward on how to deal with the influx of cheap Mozambican produce in the district.
It is believed that Mozambican farmers have formed syndicates with buyers from big cities such as Harare and Bulawayo who rip them off as they pay little for their products.
It is now a norm this time of the year to see haulage trucks loaded especially with avocado peers, maize and sweet potatoes coming from Chipinge to various destinations across the country.
Farmers in Chipinge charge $5 for a bucketful of maize, while the same quantity is being sold for $2 or $1 by Mozambicans.
A 15kg bag of sweet potatoes is sold for $4 by Chipinge farmers, while their Mozambican counterparts are prepared to part with their produce for as little as $1.
It is believed these smugglers are coming from places as far as Mude and Kaiseni in Mozambique.
Headman Muzite said farmers in his area were now crying foul as Mozambicans have literally taken over their market share.
“We had a bumper harvest this year, but marketing of our produce is proving to be a major headache. Our products are in high demand, but we are facing stiff competition from Mozambican farmers who are selling their produce for a song.
“It is sad to lose your market share to smugglers who are prepared to receive any amount for their produce. This is just too much for us considering that we are paying development levies as well as meeting labour costs,” he said.
National Assembly Member for Chipinge East Dr Win Mlambo said plans were at an advanced stage to add value to produce from Chipinge.
He said Chipinge District Administrator Mr Edgars Seenza would meet his Espungabeira counterpart to discuss the issue and find an amicable solution to the smuggling problem.
Dr Mlambo said they had already identified produces for value addition in line with Zim-Asset.
“This is the consequences of the unavailability of industries in Chipinge. It is sad to come across trucks loaded with produce from Chipinge, yet our people here continue to wallow in poverty. People outside this district are benefiting more than the farmers themselves.
“There are many products that can be processed such as chips, body lotion and juice extracted from all produces grown in Chipinge.
“We are encouraging people to be patient because the economic turn-around programme is a process and not an event,” he said.
Online Reporter