Export permits removal to boost cut flower farming

Source: Export permits removal to boost cut flower farming | The Herald October 6, 2016

Business Reporter

The recently announced measures in the Mid-Term Fiscal Policy-2016 to eliminate export permits in the horticultural sector provide an opportunity for cut flower growers. To convert the opportunity into real business, there is need for immediate implementation of the measures to compliment the export development and promotion initiatives being spearheaded by ZimTrade.The removal of export permits is expected to improve the export competitiveness of local flower produce, through reduction of costs associated with regulation documents, long waiting periods of processing licences and approvals as well as exhaustive processing of export documentation.

In 2002, Zimbabwe was the second largest exporter of cut flowers in Africa, after Kenya, exporting as much as $60 million worth of cut flowers globally.

However, latest statistics indicate that the country’s exports of cut flowers declined by 95 percent to a mere $3,1 million in 2015.

Zimbabwe generally has the ideal natural conditions for the growing of cut flowers.

Historically, about 70 percent of Zimbabwe’s flower exports came from the Banket, Concession, Glendale, Bindura, Harare, Goromonzi, Trelawney, and Kwekwe areas, mostly growing Roses.

Other flowers included Proteas, Asters and Chrysanthemums.

The Netherlands has remained Zimbabwe’s largest export destination for cut flowers, importing an average of 69 percent of the country’s cut flowers in the last 15 years.

There is need for local flower growers to keep abreast with state-of- the-art production practices as well as marketing techniques.

In this regard, ZimTrade says producers should interact with the Zimbabwe Trade Information Portal (Smart tools and trade map) in order to obtain information on the latest trends.