Story by Owen Mandovha
SMALL-scale horticultural farmers last year exported over 250 tonnes of peas in a major transformation of the industry which is being boosted by local partners.
The horticultural sector is making huge recovery strides aided by the resurgence in production mainly by smallholder farmers involved in the production of fresh produce such as peas.
A local firm that promotes and finances small-scale farmers in meeting global export standards last year exported over 250 tonnes of peas mainly to Europe marking a significant shift in the industry growth.
“Small-scale farmers are embracing the sector and last year alone we, managed to export over 250 tonnes of peas to the EU and we anticipate to export over 750 tonnes this year. The industry is registering significant growth through our efforts to boost the sector,” Kuminda’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Clarence Mwale noted.
Economist, Mr Persistence Gwanyanya says the horticultural sector continues to boost the country’s foreign currency earnings.
“The country is in dire need of foreign currency and the horticultural sector has shown huge highlights of recovery and is on a growth trend yearly. This attests to the ongoing efforts being done by the government and local stakeholders to grow the industry,” he said.
The European Union is cementing ties with Zimbabwe and has identified areas of cooperation in horticulture, with the first-ever EU Zimbabwe Business Forum on the cards set to harness the growth of the sector.
