Idai hits tomato crop

MANICALAND could be faced with an acute shortage of tomatoes this season as more than 70 percent of the crop was destroyed by Cyclone Idai-induced floods.

Agritex horticulture and tobacco specialist Mr Douglas Nzarayebani said the situation had been aggravated by the fact that only a few farmers had planted the crop this season.

“Tomatoes have been destroyed by Cyclone Idai in most parts of Manicaland and we are likely to have short supply of tomatoes. This poses a serious threat to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who rely on tomato production,” he said.

He said some of the tomatoes had now been affected by fungal diseases such as late blight, with potential to cause absolute damage to fields within a week, hence measures to mitigate the spread of pests and controlling diseases are in progress.

Mr Nzarayebani said tomato production in Manicaland had declined over the past years and bemoaned the lack of tomato processing plants in the province to add value to the crop.

“There is urgent need to strengthen tomato production in the province. We have farmers who plant tomatoes for the local market as well as for exports to neighbouring countries but they do not increase their hectarage. It is difficult to quantify the number of hectares under tomato production which were destroyed by the cyclone but we are trying our best to compile the information,” he said.

Mr Nzarayebani also said prices of tomatoes were likely to continue increasing on the market due to the projected shortages.

Meanwhile, macadamia nuts production in Chipinge is this year unlikely to meet the set target of 9 000 tonnes following a poor season where the quality and weight of the crop was affected by the drought which hit Manicaland province.

The farmers will therefore lose out on a lucrative deal from a Chinese company which usually buys them.

Mr Nzarayebani said farmers had already started harvesting the crop and most were concerned about its quality.

“Macadamia farmers have lost hope of meeting their goal to produce more than 9 000 tonnes this season due to the long dry spell which affected the fruit during its maturity period. Farmers have already started harvesting and although they are still keen to increase production levels, they are worried by the failure to generate the much needed foreign currency,” said Mr Nzarayebani.

He said good quality macadamia has a higher demand on the local and international market and it has the potential to promote lucrative horticultural exports in Zimbabwe.

“Good quality of macadamia nuts are in demand on the global market. They are being increasingly recognised as a valuable source of nutrients with a number of health benefits because of their high content of mono unsaturated fatty acids,” he added.

Mr Nzarayebani said although Cyclone Idai had brought destruction to the districts of Chipinge and Chimanimani where the bulk of macadamia nuts are produced, it had also left moisture in the ground, which was good for the crop’s growth next season.

“The upkeep of trees is guaranteed; the available moisture can sustain them until the next season. This will ensure high yields from the trees,” said Mr Nzarayebani.

Macadamia production has become a cash cow for quite a number of smallholder farmers in Chipinge.

One tree can yield up to 20kg of nuts at a time which is sold at an average price of US$4 per kg and potentially earning farmers between US$25 000 to US$30 000 per hectare.

The biggest market for the crop is China and experts believe that the Asian country has the capacity to take up more nuts if farmers can increase production.

The crop is less chemical intensive hence it costs less to produce than coffee, which most farmers in Chipinge have abandoned in favour of the  nut.