Ishemunyoro Chingwere

Business Reporter
The export market offers vast opportunities for both large scale and small scale farmers and the later should target produce that has potential to get on the export basket and earn the country foreign currency, ZimTrade has said.

The call by the country’s export development and promotional agency, Zimtrade, was made when officials from the agency visited farmers in Mazowe last week those seeking to venture into the export market for hypericum flowers. The flowers are being grown at Ansellia Farm in Mazowe by brothers Messrs Rufaro and Rukudzo Gumbo.

Rufaro is also the 2019 Federation of Young Farmers Club Zimbabwe Young Seed Producer of the Year and the duo is already into the export market, where they are exporting peas to United Kingdom and Netherlands.

Speaking after touring the farm on Friday last week, ZimTrade chief executive officer, Mr Allan Majuru, commended the brothers for the work they are doing and said the export development and promotional agency, will help the farmers access the export market for their flowers.

“There is huge potential for Ansellia Farm to export more and we will connect the business to existing and emerging markets,” said Mr Majuru.

“The farm is producing flowers and peas but there are further opportunities in other varieties of flowers as well as horticulture products like macadamia nuts and bananas. What is now important is that we provide Ansellia Farm with reliable and credible information that will help them in diversifying their export crops.

“As history has proven, flower exports used to be Zimbabwe’s biggest forex earners at the height of production and there is potential to surpass the previously set heights.

“There is a huge appetite for flowers around the world and there is a need to open up to new markets in the Middle East and Asia, just as macadamia farmers have successfully done. What is important going forward is that we increase production, grow more varieties and target new markets” he said.

Mr Rufaro Gumbo said the two are producing for both the local and international market and highlighted that proceeds from the later go a long way in sustaining the business.

He said they have also invested in research and development as a means to keep up with the pace of competition as well as to ensure that their produce remains products of choice for customers.

“It has become clear in the recent years that setting part of the farm for export products will ensure sustainable revenue particularly on foreign currency. Our goal now is to enter new markets, and this is now the major focus of our business,” said Mr Gumbo.

“Our constant outlook is always to invest in research and development so that we are always up to date with the ever-changing trends in the market. This is very challenging, but we have the right work force to help us achieve the right quality produce for the market,” he added.