Market headache for young farmer
A 23-year-old Cashel Valley farmer is having sleepless nights over a market for his 32 000 heads of cabbages that are ready for the market.
Law Tiengane of Svinurai Irrigation Scheme in Chimanimani East says he has been getting ridiculous offers, which will not enable him to earn a living through farming.
“I have these 32 000 heads of cabbages but as a young farmer I have no one to supply except the local community,” said Mr Tiengane.
This means Mr Tiengane – a father of one – is sitting on cabbages worth $64 000.
His only “big market” is the nearby Mutambara High School.
“There is no one to buy the cabbages. Each cabbage weighs about 7kg. I tried to sell them in Mutare but the vendors there offered me $1 per cabbage yet they resell them for $5 or so making a killing out of it,” said Mr Tiengane.
His cabbages are of the Indica Plus variety which can be grown all year round.
Mr Tiengane said the market was not being sensitive to farmers as they incur costs in their farming activities ranging from inputs to pesticides.