Online Reporter
Herald Reporter
A US$25 million citrus producer in Beitbridge, Matabeleland South province, Orangeville, is poised to become a game changer for Matabeleland South Province as it seeks to expand its production and employment in line with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 of attaining an upper middle-income economy.
The company’s growth trajectory emerged during a familiarisation visit by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Matabeleland South, Cde Albert Nguluvhe, who toured the citrus processing plant and plantation to appreciate its operations.
His visit was also aimed at identifying opportunities for growth and engaging management on challenges requiring Government support to enhance the ease of doing business.
Orangeville, which was established in 2024, has rapidly grown into one of the country’s significant citrus processing investments.
The company has invested an additional US$5 million beyond the initial US$20 million committed during commissioning and recently secured certification for its state-of-the-art juicing plant to supply citrus juice to Schweppes.
The company currently employs about 350 people and is targeting at least 1 500 employees within the next five years as it scales up production, a development expected to significantly boost employment creation in Matabeleland South and contribute towards the national Vision 2030 agenda.
“As Government, we will continue supporting citrus farmers so that they can fully utilise the land they are working on, and we have realised that they are providing significant employment opportunities for local communities,” said Minister Nguluvhe.
“The role of Government is to implement national priorities and ensure Matabeleland South produces enough for domestic demand and export.
“With dry conditions forecast, we must build investments that also support livestock farmers and food systems.”
To support its long-term expansion, Orangeville is developing a 5 000-hectare citrus plantation to guarantee reliable raw material supplies after identifying inconsistent citrus deliveries from surrounding farmers and high transport costs as some of the key challenges affecting operations.
The company draws about 40 percent of its water requirements from Zhove Dam, in addition to its existing water sources, while the local market remains the major destination for its products.
During the tour, the minister observed value addition processes at the processing plant, where citrus is transformed into products including orange juice, orange essential oil used in the cosmetics industry and orange residue that can be processed into cattle feed supplements or pellets.
Orangeville has also begun implementing corporate social responsibility initiatives that include rehabilitation of local roads, supplying orange processing residue to surrounding communities for livestock feed and potential wildlife use.
The company is planning to construct about 90 employee housing units and two hostels equipped with electricity and water services.
The Minister also encouraged the company to tap into the expertise of returning Zimbabweans with technical and industrial skills.
He encouraged the construction of a workers’ clinic and preschool, and the exploration of fodder production to support livestock farmers.
Minister Nguluvhe reaffirmed Government’s commitment to supporting investors and facilitating business growth.
Orangeville indicated that production and export statistics would be available at the end of the current harvesting season as it continues to expand its operations.
