Banana farmers fleeced

Farmers in Chimanimani are being duped by middlemen who are taking advantage of their inability to transport produce to the markets to buy their produce at very low prices.

Chimanimani East Member of Parliament Cde Joshua Sacco last week said farmers had at times been forced to sell their bananas at 10 cents per kilogramme instead 20 to 25 cents per kg since they could not transport their produce to markets themselves.

“Most people here are farmers. They produce various fruits and vegetables but because our roads are in a bad state, sometimes they are forced to sell their bananas for as little as 10 cents (per kg) because people with trucks that can pass our roads take advantage of them,” he said.

He called on Government to consider tarring the roads from Hlabiso to Kopa, Machongwe to Kopa and the one from Kopa to Jopa during the reconstruction of Cyclone Idai-damaged roads.

“These roads become impassable when it rains and then we get people with trucks coming here to dupe our farmers. If the roads are tarred, our people will be able to sell their fruits at better prices,” said Cde Sacco.

He also said the area also needed a new bridge that is strong enough to withstand another cyclone.

“We ask that the bridge that will be constructed at Kopa be elevated so that even if floods come back, they do not sweep it away again,” he added.

Rusitu Valley is renowned for production of horticultural produce and other crops and hundreds of traders travel to the area to buy produce for resale in Mutare, Chipinge, Zvishavane and some even as far as Bulawayo.