Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
SCHWEPPES Zimbabwe Limited says engagements with the Government are being finalised with the view of setting up a 2 700 hectares’ citrus plantation project in the Zhovhe area in Beitbridge.
The investment is expected to increase production and value-addition at the company’s Beitbridge Juice Processing Plant, which has a capacity to process at least 40 000 tonnes of oranges and lemons into various by-products for the local and international markets.
Schweppes Zimbabwe spokesperson, Ms Ropafadzo Gwanetsa, said the project will take off as soon as talks are concluded with the Government.
She told journalists during a media tour of high impact projects in Matabeleland South recently that headway was being made in kick-starting the citrus green field project.
Ms Gwanetsa said at the moment they are relying on at least six fruit producers, who are struggling to meet the feedstock target, considering that they were producing for both the local and export market.
In order to enhance community development in Beitbridge, she said part of the plantation will be reserved for local community members. It is understood that land on citrus has reduced from around 10 000 hectares nationally to between 4 000 and 5 000 hectares.
“We are still engaging with the Government over the proposed Zhovhe citrus project and we have made some positive progress. It’s our hope that it will take off as soon as we agree on a number of issues,” said Ms Gwanetsa.
“Besides relying on local fruit producers, we feel it is also wise to produce part of the raw material on our own plantation. “We have been processing below our target capacity at this Beitbridge plant, the highest figure we had was in 2022 when we received 30 000 tonnes from local suppliers. Last year, we received 27,5 tonnes.”
The organisation’s plant also extracts oils from the grapefruit, lemons and oranges, which it is exporting to Europe and South Africa.
The peel that remains, he said, was a good ingredient for manufacturing stock feed, which has come in handy in livestock production regions. The establishment of a citrus plantation will not only increase Schweppes product line but also create employment opportunities for local community members.
“We have been noting a volume growth around Beitbridge with new orchards being created and we expect that by 2028 we will have even more tonnes being delivered to our plant,” said Ms Gwanetsa.
“We hope to see more economic activity happening in this area and we have hired 80 percent of our staff from surrounding communities.
“Being close to the border is also strategic for us to import and export products and raw material.”
Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, who was also part of the delegation being led by Deputy Minister Omphile Marupi said the setting up of many citrus related industries was part of the Government’s larger plan to transform rural areas.
He said Beitbridge was a strategic place for citrus development and penetration into regional and international markets.
“We are seeing a lot of citrus projects coming up in Beitbridge and a lot has been happening in the economic development sector and recently, we saw President Mnangagwa commissioning a huge industrial park in rural Beitbridge. The progress on the ground is impressive,” said Mr Mangwana.
“The creation of jobs and decentralisation of industries is in line with our dream to develop every part of the country and Beitbridge is gradually becoming a major hub of economic activity in this region and entire country.”
