Zimbabwe Aims To Be Key Blueberry Supplier
Zimbabwe aims to be key blueberry suplier.Zimbabwe is celebrating recent access for its avocados into China, as blueberry industry is showing signs of rapid growth.
The industry is showing rapid growth as it promises to export some 5,500 tonnes of blueberries this year.
Zimbabwe supplies are less than 20% of blueberries South Africa is exporting, however it is showing the signs of growth in next few years.
Chief executive of Zimbabwes Horticulture Development Council , Linda Nielsen said Zimbabwe is aiming to increase blueberry production three fold by 2030.
Nielsen explained that Zimbabwe by 2023 production had increased to 5,500 tonnes making Zimbabwe the fastest growing blueberry producer in the world, this year the industry expects to increase output to 8,000 tonnes as it began at small scale farming in 2008.
Growth will mainly be from
plant maturity and higher yields
rather than new plantings. "This
reflects the funding challenges
that the industry continues
to face, despite the recent
growth," she said.
If Zimbabwe increases
cultivation from the current
570ha to 1,500ha by 2030, it
will produce 30,000 tonnes
'If realised, this would generate
revenues comparable to
Zimbabwe's horticulture export
peak in the late 1990s," Nielsen
confirmed. "Achieving this
target will require a substantial
investment of an estimated
US$240m."
Currently, Zimbabwean berries access the European markets
through the Netherlands, which acts as a hub for fresh produce into the EU.
Zimbabwe's next major target
is to enter the Indian and
Chinese markets," she said.
'The Horticultural Development
Council is currently working
towards a phytosanitary
agreement for blueberries into
these new markets.
Its climate gives the
country's blueberries distinct
characteristics, such as size,
taste, and texture, Nielsen
outlined, making them more
appealing to premium markets
"Another advantage for
Zimbabwe is that our harvest
season runs from May to
October. This allows us to
enter global markets ahead of many competitors, securing a strategic market window for our berries.'
"Because of the country's
agriculture heritage', we
have robust logistics and
cold-chain systems that
ensure produce reaches
global markets in optimal
condition," Nielsen said.
"Extension services, supported by government initiatives and trade partnerships, are also key advantages."
She admitted that the industry faced problems related to the policy environment. These included the security of land tenure, poor road infrastructure in some areas, the high costs of utilities, and an unfavourable exchange rates system.
"We are working with the
Zimbabwe Investment
Development Authority to
establish special economic
zones and sector-specific
incentives," Nielsen added.
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