The ManicaPost
Cletus Mushanawani
News Editor
MOST parts of Manicaland Province enjoy favourable climatic conditions, which are conducive for agricultural activities, including plantations that could help grow their contribution to national exports if various capacity interventions are put in place.
Common plantations with huge export potential in districts such as Mutasa, Nyanga, Chipinge and Mutare include those of macadamia, tea, coffee, apples, bananas and timber.
The country has witnessed sustained export growth, thanks to spirited economic diplomacy by President Mnangagwa’s Second Republic, whose target has been re-integrating Zimbabwean businesses into global supply chains.
According to ZimStat, Zimbabwe’s exports grew by 12,8 percent, from US$3,75 billion in 2021 to US$4,22 billion in 2022.
This growth has been anchored in Zimbabwean products finding new markets in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, China, Belgium and Italy.
ZimTrade chief executive officer, Mr Allan Majuru, said what is crucial going forward and in line with the Government’s devolution agenda is understanding and unlocking opportunities at district level, riding on natural resource endowments.
He said Manicaland is positioned to tap into the global market for macadamia nuts, which grew from around US$220 million in 2017, to around US$286 million in 2019, and are expected to reach over U$300 million in 2023.
“There is room for macadamia producers to earn more from export markets if they export value-added produce, instead of nuts in shell, which make up the bulk of current exports.
“Value-added macadamia products can be targeted as specific markets that will guarantee sales. Peeled macadamia is an ingredient for some traditional dishes in Japan. In Europe, the nuts are used to produce nut oil, macadamia milk, macadamia honey, butter and chocolate coating.
“In addition to macadamia, Manicaland Province has huge experience in avocado production, with more farmers joining the sub-sector in recent years,” said Mr Majuru.
According to Trade Map, Zimbabwe’s avocado output for export increased from 2 746 tonnes in 2017 to 5 806 tonnes in 2021.
“With increased production, and new smallholder players planting more trees, there is scope for Manicaland to increase exports of avocados.
“Just like macadamia nuts, farmers will earn more if they complement exports of fresh avocados with value-added products such as avocado oil, which earns more in international markets,” said Mr Majuru.
He also cited bananas as some of the low-hanging fruits for Manicaland districts like Mutasa, Chimanimani and Rusitu.
There is scope for the country to earn more foreign currency if additional farmers venture into banana production.
According to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, banana production reached 1 080 970 tonnes at its peak in 2010.
“There are new plantations that are coming up in areas such as Middle-Sabi and a model to integrate smallholder farmers into the mainstream export business, riding on the current successful exporters will help boost banana exports from Manicaland.
“Capacity building and interventions, as well as financial support, must be provided to growers, especially smallholder and rural farmers who make up the bulk of banana producers in the province,” said Mr Majuru.
Turning to tea production, Mr Majuru said tea produced in Manicaland is renowned on international markets and is already touted as one of the key products for branding Zimbabwe due to its high quality.
Tea is largely grown in Mutasa, Chipinge and Chimanimani. Figures show that in 2014, production stood at 24 486 tonnes, but reduced to 7 830 tonnes in 2017, before production reached 40 185 in 2019.
“The recent boon in tea production is meant to meet the growing demand for Zimbabwe’s tea in export markets, and Manicaland is well-positioned to grow the country’s exports.
“Related to tea, there is also room for Manicaland to grow coffee exports. In order to unleash coffee exports to the levels where they used to contribute around five percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, there is need to encourage and incentivise farmers. Value addition of coffee is essential for increased export earnings,” said Mr Majuru.
He added: “Plantations of fruits such as apples, stone fruits and mangoes are also low-hanging fruits for Manicaland. Estates in Nyanga, which used to be big in exports of apples and stone fruits, are working towards increasing production, which will make it easy to grow exports.
“With increased production, districts in Manicaland can reclaim lost international markets such as Europe, which already regard Zimbabwe-grown fruits as being of high quality, and tasty compared to competition. There is also need to promote value addition so that producers of fruits can realise more foreign currency earnings and also reduce post-harvest losses.”
He also called for the growing of more sweet potatoes for exports.
“Sweet potatoes are mainly grown in Chipinge and Makoni districts, and the province usually comes third after Mashonaland East and Midlands in terms of production capacity. This position shows that Manicaland has huge potential in exporting sweet potatoes, especially if farmers concentrate on viable varieties such as yellow-fleshed ones,” said Mr Majuru.
He also called on the province to tap on the production of sesame which is widely grown in Chipinge, Nyanga, Makoni and Buhera.
Figures from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development show that Manicaland contributed about 40 percent of the country’s annual production in 2019, coming second after Mashonaland Central which had around 53 percent.
“Sesame has great export potential for Manicaland Province, considering the huge demand of the seed in Mozambique, whose proximity to the province offers additional logistical and competitive advantages,” he said.
