Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
SCHWEPPES Zimbabwe Limited plans to invest up to US$35 million in the next 10 years into a 2 700 hectares citrus plantation project in Beitbridge.
The intervention is expected to increase production and value addition at the company’s Beitbridge Juice Processing Plant.
Schweppes managing director, Mr Charles Msipa, said the company was processing around 20 000 tonnes of fruits annually against a target of at least 40 000.
He said local fruit producers were 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, he said 300 hectares have been secured for a new citrus plantation.
Mr Msipa said the limited supplies were necessitated by the fact that land on citrus had reduced from around 10 000 hectares to between 4 000 and 5 000 hectares.
“Citrus production has shifted from the country’s northern region (Mazowe) to the southern region (Beitbridge), where climatic conditions are very conducive,” he said in a recent interview.
“We are seized with the preliminary works, which will see us moving to the land at Zhovhe Dam, where there is plenty of water for irrigation-based farming.”
Mr Msipa said the citrus greenfield project would come with significantly increased support. Among these is the drive to produce more fruit for processing various products for the local and export markets.
The company had already constructed a mini-solar power plant to boost electricity supplies at the Beitbridge Juice Processing plant.
“Currently, we are processing oranges, lemons and grapes into various by-products including juice and oils and stockfeed,” said Mr Msipa.
The 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 stockfeed.
“This has come in handy in this region where livestock production is one of the major sources of livelihood,” said Mr Msipa.
He said they were also looking at increasing their workers following the establishment of the citrus green field at Zhovhe Dam.
At the moment the company has more than 200 workers recruited from areas adjacent to the Beitbridge Juice Processing plant.
Some of the employees were being trained on juice processing and the manufacturing of stockfeeds from fruit peels.
“Besides producing raw material for the local markets, we are exporting oils and frozen juice to Israel, European and other markets in need of the product,” said Mr Msipa. — _@tupeyo
Online Reporter