Production of coffee in Zimbabwe continues to decline mainly due to under-capitalisation of newly resettled farmers and the absence of an inclusive representative body for the sector, a study has revealed.
A recent study that the United States Agency for International Development-funded Zimbabwe Agricultural Competitiveness Program (Zim-ACP) commissioned found that coffee production has experienced a sharp decline from a record 14 664 tons in 1980 to the current meagre 350 tons per season.
Zim-ACP commissioned the assessment of coffee, tea, banana, macadamia, avocado and citrus sectors in order to determine the status and competitiveness of each of the tree crop industries as well as explore the opportunities and challenges that smallholder farmers faced in each of the crop category.
Of all the sectors assessed, coffee has experienced the largest decline in production levels.
Zim-ACP research officer Godfrey Mudimu said “given the high level of investments required to establish tree crops and the long term view before meaningful returns start to accrue is on its own a strenuous task especially for small holder farmers whose capacity can only sustain short season crops.”
Coffee is mainly grown in the Eastern border highlands because of the favourable climatic conditions in that area.
However, after the Fast Track Land Reform Program, which in some instances did not leave out farms strategically positioned to contribute to national development, most of the commercial coffee farms that were invaded are not matching previous output.
“The four remaining commercial coffee plantations are either in the process of rejuvenating existing coffee stands, or planting new stands. Smallholder farmers have continued to plant new coffee on the back of good pricing,” said Mr Mudimu.
Installed coffee processing capacity stands at 50 000 metric tons per annum based on three major institutions, namely the Zimbabwe Coffee Marketers (ZCM), the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and commercial estates.
“Currently, ZMC is mothballed and it would require at least about 4 000 Mt to be commercially viable while the GMB offers a toll processing and marketing service,” reads the Zim-ACP report. — New Ziana