Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
ZHOVE Estate has invested nearly R2 million into a fish farming project that will see them producing more than 1 000 tonnes of fish annually.

The project, which started late in 2019 is part of the many value addition initiatives that the estate is undertaking. The integrated farming business is also into livestock production, cropping, milling, poultry production and also runs a 30-room lodge.

The Estate’s director, Mrs Saliwe Marema, said they started the fish farming project under Command fisheries.

She said they had procured the necessary equipment to breed and produce fish mainly the tilapia breams.

Zhovhe Estate workers transfer fish from breeding ponds to production cages at Zhovhe Dam

Mrs Marema said they were also working on a long term plan for value addition which will see them producing many fish products.

“We are looking at realising full potential of the project in the next two years,” she said.

Mrs Marema said their immediate markets were their lodge, local retail shops and wholesalers in Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces.

“The bigger picture is to penetrate the larger market in the country and also export in future,” she said

Mrs Marema said so far they had invested R1,2 million in setting up the ponds, a hatchery and another R800 000 on ancillary services including installing 24 breeding cages in the dam.

She said the Estate had also hired experts in fish farming to ensure the project is a success.

Mrs Marema said 12 employees have so far been engaged for the fish farming project and the target was to increase the number to more than 70 workers by the end of the year.