Source: Zim targets $200m in flower exports | The Herald August 17, 2018
Business Reporter
Zimbabwe is looking forward to develop about 1 000 hectares of cut flower plantations – mostly roses – in the next five years as it seeks to boost foreign currency inflows.
In 2002, Zimbabwe exported cut flowers worth $60 million, according to ZimTrade, making it the second largest exporter after Kenya.
However, production drastically fell as new farmers who benefited under the land reform programme, which started in 2000 lacked expertise to cultivate the high value export commodity.
Agriculture, Lands and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister Davis Marapira, said Zimbabwe was looking at boosting cut flower production and potentially generate $200 million by 2023.
“We are coming up with a comprehensive policy that should outline these targets and how we intend to achieve them,” said Mr Marapira in an interview yesterday.
He said the cut flowers, mainly roses would be targeted for the European markets.
Zimbabwe’s traditional main flower producing areas were Banket, Concession, Glendale, Bindura, Harare, Goromonzi, Trelawney, and Kwekwe, growing mainly the roses.
In 2015 the flower export plummeted to $3,2 million. Between 2002 and 2015, the total export turnover had decreased by 95 percent. The country used to export about 70 percent of the cut flowers to The Netherlands. Mr Marapira said the horticulture industry would anchor exports of Zimbabwe’s agricultural commodities in the medium term.
“We want to diversify by increasing production of all crops especially those that can generate foreign currency and substituting imports of traditional staples. Irrigation, in light of climate change will also be a critical component of the new policy,” he said.
Zimbabwe used to be one of the largest exporters of a wide range of horticultural products in Africa, supplying overseas markets including Europe and the Middle East.
For instance, citrus exports peaked in 2001 at 45 000 tonnes, being 60 percent of fresh produce output.
Zimbabwe also became a valuable exporter of cut flowers, and by 2001, it was ranked as the second largest in Africa, behind Kenya, second among African, Caribbean and Pacific exporters, and was the fifth biggest exporter to the EU.
The country’s horticultural industry, which is mainly involved in the production of fresh vegetables, citrus and flowers, has been on a gradual rebound since 2010 following successive years of recession, which started on the turn of the millennium.
Air cargo exports have been rising since 2012 mainly driven by vegetables and flowers.
COMMENTS
Well done to Zanu all over again. They looted and rooted everything they could set their eyes upon in the FTLRP. Why would we think that they are not drunken sailors and murderers any more? The Rigging President is a Genocide Hero with more blood on his hands all over again with the military shootings in Harare, the Rigging Vice President Chiwenga has Genocide blood on his hands from the Gukuruhundi and then they have the Hero Shiri – from the famous Fifth Rapist Brigade that did the deed in Matabeland in the 80’s. Special mention for the Giggling Mrs. British High Commissioner and Her Majesty’s Government for their wonderful involvement in the Coup that was not a Coup – giggle, giggle, giggle. And of course giving Robert Mugabe a Knighthood after the Gukuruhundi. We should not really leave out Lord Carrington – the Evil Engineer of Zanu Elections or Margaret Thatcher and Malcom Fraser for doing the Zanu-Mugabe-Mujiba Waltz on the dance floor in Lusaka at the CHOGM. Well done to you all – be you dead or alive. You are true giggling heroes with
A 20 000 Genocide in your trail.
So what makes you think that suddenly the so called new farmers have gained the expertise to grow those crops? Have you not seen the state of those farms? They have all been looted. The citrus orchards are stuffed and the equipment for exporting has gone to rust after looting. You are living in fairy land.
Ah well. Zanu along with ED, Chiwenga, Shiri and Moyo now have nothing to worry about. They have got Eddie Cross right behind them now.
In 2000 zimbabwe was about to produce more than Kenya. Kenya horticulture is dominated by dutch growers, Zimbabwe was by Zimbabwean farmers. I was on target for 6 million stems in 2000 but now my well organised fields are barren, no irrigation just empty fields. Yes the minister is right, horticulture is a big part of the solution and it can happen in the short term, the problem is the exertise were exported and the farms trashed so now you have zero. I watched a klm cargo plane being loaded with 3 pallets whilst in the deature lounge. We used to export 3 boeing 747 plane loads a day in 1999. 3 pallets will be very expensive airfreight.
There is also the other aspect of who wants to deal with a rogue state so would the sellers be welcome in the dutch markets. I think you not only killed the golden goose but you destroyed the eggs too. Zimbabwe has a long way to go and a lot of amends to make before you can dream of achieving your targets. Oh and by the way command horticulture will not work either.