Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
THE Horticultural Development Council (HDC) has called on Government to introduce supportive agriculture policies to boost citrus production.
By increasing citrus production, Zimbabwe can take advantage of the decline in production from the world’s largest orange producer, Brazil.
Recent reports have shown that the Brazilian citrus belt, which accounts for about 75 percent of global orange juice production, recorded a 28 percent drop in harvest in 2024, the second lowest harvest since 1988.
Reports from Fundecitrus and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service reveal that the 2024/2025 crop in the central states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais experienced its second-lowest level in 37 years due to unfavourable weather and disease.
HDC chief executive, Mrs Linda Nielsen, said should citrus supply tighten globally, Zimbabwe is well-positioned to leverage this opportunity.
“However, this would depend on the country taking deliberate steps to improve the investment climate to support increased production.
“We continue to call on the relevant authorities to implement supportive policies that ease the high cost of production burden on growers,” the HDC boss said.
Bongani Ndlovu